AGS Magazine June 1963

THE

ABERDEEN GRAMMAR SCHML MAGAZINE

ABERDEEN

prirtMcl for The Former Pupils' Club atilic Unkversity Press Price Volume LXVI, No. 2

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MOVING WITH THE TIMES In our recent reconstructions we have endeavoured to retain the former character of the main fashion floor. Our illustration shows the new Frank Usher Boutique—the first of its kind in Scotland.

On the second floor the underwear department has been extended to most majestic proportions to allow a greater variety of merchandise to be displayed. Illustrated is the Wolsey Vanity Fair section featuring the famous "Showables" range.

Open displays and crystal clear lighting create an impressive effect on the ground floor. All accessories— gloves, handbags, hosiery, jewellery, cosmetics, toiletries, etc., are in adjacent positions for easy colour matching. Shown here is a corner of the china, glassware and gift section, now moved to the ground floor.

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Enquiries regarding advertising in the Magazine should be addressed to : FRANK C. CONNON, ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER, 58 DEE STREET, ABERDEEN (Telephone 52525)

xii

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 79th year No. 192 (New Series Otbyear No. 183) -

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No. z

JUNE 1 963

Vol. LXVI

— The Magazine is published under the auspices of The Former Pupils' Club twice during the year, in December and June

The Magazine Committee Rector of the School

.

John Vass Skinner, M.A., DIP. ED.

General Editor

.

.

Campbell Connon, M.A., LL.B., 58 Dee Street, Aberdeen.

Editor of Notes, ObitBrian K. Crookshanks, M.A., LL.B., uary, and Marriages I 2 Bon-Accord Square, Aberdeen.

Editor of the School . Alexander Tait, M.A. Section .

Chairman of the F.P. . Alan C. R. Watt, M.A., LL.B. Club Executive MacLachlan, M.A., Union Street, Aberdeen.

Secretary of the F.P. Club J. Scott LL.B.,

Advertisements

.

.

2.20

Frank C. Connon, M.A., LL.B., 58 Dee Street, Aberdeen.

Printed for The Former Pupils' Club at The University Press Aberdeen

'CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS . facing page 94 Two Views of the New School Extensions . .

Two School Sports Teams .

• • ,, 95 . . . between pages utz-113 Four School Sports Teams . . . facing page 130 . . . " Pym " and " Suivi " .

Dr. W. Douglas Simpson, President of the F.P. Club, 1963-64 31 •

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General Section. page . . . . .

1963 Annual Dinner . . . „ . . . . .

Recent Benefactions . . . . . ,, Tomorrow's Aberdeen—W. A. Colclough, Esq. " Doddy " Hay reports on two " first-ever " exploits in testing . . . . . . . ejection seats .

• ,D . . .

School at the turn of the century—J. M. .

• ,, . . . . . . . .

Book Review • ,, . . . . . .

The late Mr. George Strachan . . . . . .

The late Dr. R. E. Wetherly . . . . . .

Bursary Competition results .

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School Section— . . . . . . .

Office-Bearers . . . . . .

School and Random Notes . . . .

Sir James J. Robertson Prize. Staff Notes Literary and Debating Society. Film Society. Arts Club Photographic Society. Radio Club. Hill-Walking Club .

Chess Club. Aberdeen School Scientific Society. Music . . . . .

Combined Cadet Force . . . . . . . . .

Deeside Field Club . . . . . .

House Notes .

Scout Notes . .

Lower School Notes . .

School Holidays .

Presenting the Prefects . .

Scripture Union .

Dramatic Society . .

School Sporting Activities .

Literary Section Former Pupils' Club Section— . . . . .

Office-Bearers Dr. W. Douglas Simpson—President 1963-64 . .

Annual General Meeting 1963 . .

Accounts for year ended 1962 Edinburgh, London and Yorkshire Centres Dundee Centre . . . . . . .

F.P. Club Sporting activities . . . . .

Notes about F.P.s Marriages . . . . . . . . . . . .

Obituary . . . .

New Members 72

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Annual Dinner 1963 Arrangements are now well in hand for the Annual Dinner of the Club which is to be held in the School Hall on Wednesday, 23 October 1963. It will be remembered that this date marks the Centenary of the opening of the present School buildings and, as the Hall known to generations of Former Pupils is shortly to be converted into the School Library, it seems a fitting occasion to hold the Dinner in the Hall.

The principal speaker will be Sir James J. Robertson who will propose the toast of " The School and the Club ". The Rector and Dr. W. Douglas Simpson will reply. The toast of " The Guests " will be proposed by Eric Linklater and there will be a joint reply on behalf of the Town and Gown by Lord Provost John M. Graham and Principal E. M. Wright respectively.

The senior member of the F.P. Club, Professor Alexander Findlay (1882-91) and Sir J. Mackay Thomson, Rector of the School from 1920-21 have accepted invitations to be present. The surviving Past Presidents of the Club have also been invited and have signified their intention to be present. They are : Sheriff J. A. Lillie, J. G. Kyd, Sir Landsborough Thomson, H. J. Butchart, D. P. Cochran, J. Lennox Riddell, Sir John W. Taylor, R. B. Williamson, Lord Johnston and Alexander Gray.

Full particulars of arrangements for applications for tickets will be sent to all members of the Club by the end of August. *

*

*

Comment !

An F.P. writing to the Editor recently remarked that he didn't think the Magazine is now nearly so good as it was in Theodore Watt's day and his comment continued : " It is not nearly so much ' on the ball ' . . . . It was wonderful how, whenever anything of importance happened in those days, there was always a Grammar boy who had been on the spot and was able to give first hand impressions of the event. Today on a similar standard, the Magazine would have had articles by an F.P. on the Kuwait trouble, or the Brunei rebellion, the latest exploration of the Antarctic or the conquest of space. Some F.P.s seemed always to be about when momentous events were happening and seemed to pour their experiences on to Theodore Watt. At that time I thought the Magazine the best school Magazine in existence, far better than those of the famous English public schools. Now it is just like them and in my opinion has too much immature stuff by school pupils . . . . I think the Magazine is still first-class, and the change in character may be that the F.P.s are not so much at the back of things as they used to be. I hope this is not so ; but sometimes I fear it is. Security can play strange tricks with the adventurous temperament."

[But surely "Duddy" Hay's article on p. 8o disproves, in part at least, this " complaint " ?—Ed.] 73

74

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Recent Benefactions The past year has been noteworthy for the number of benefactions received by the School. These will be listed in full under the appropriate heading in the Rector's Report for the current session but three of them call for special mention here.

A PUBLIC SPEAKING PRIZE

Shortly before the close of last session confirmation was received in the School of a bequest of £zoo which had been left by the late David Ritchie Bishop, a former Town Chamberlain of Aberdeen, for the provision of a prize or prizes for the pupils of the Grammar School.

The nature of the prize was to be left to the discretion of the Rector.

Mr. Bishop had expressed the wish that the fund should be known as The Edith and David Ritchie Bishop Prize Fund " as a small measure "—to quote his own words—" of regard for his wife and of his appreciation of the incentive and help she had always been to him by her advice and example."

At the Annual Prizegiving Ceremony last year the Rector intimated that he had decided after due consideration that the fund could best be used to provide prizes for proficiency in public speaking.

Under the terms of the regulations which have since been drawn up the merits of the rival candidates will be assessed by their performance in public competition at one of the meetings of the School Literary and Debating Society. The first of these sessions was held recently in the School Library and passed off very successfully.

The other two benefactions referred to concern the Spanish Department of the School. Readers may recall that the obituary notices in the last issue of the Magazine carried a report of the tragic and untimely death in Malaya of a Former Pupil of the School, Alastair George Simon (193z-45). Mrs. Simon, his mother, has since gifted to the School a sum of money to be used for the provision of a prize in Spanish in memory of her son, himself a former medallist in Spanish. This will be known as The Alistair G. Simon Memorial Prize for Spanish. An unusual but most commendable feature of the prize is that it will be awarded, not to the boy scoring highest marks at any given stage, but to the boy in any class who in the opinion of the Principal Teacher of Spanish after consultation with his colleagues has displayed outstanding keenness and application in his studies.

Dr. R. M. Macandrew Bequest Finally, in March of this year the School received from the widow and family of the late Dr. Ronald M. Macandrew, whose death was reported in the June issue of the Magazine last year, a gift of £ioo for the purchase of books for the School Library. The greater part of the sum will be allocated to the Spanish section of the Library and the residue to the provision of books on Religious Education.

All who knew Dr. Macandrew and who are in a position to appreciate

Tomorrow's Aberdeen

75

his great services not only to the Spanish Department but to the life of the Grammar School as a whole will rejoice to know that his memory is to be preserved in the way he would best have appreciated— in the furtherance of those two aspects of education which most engaged his interest and which he did so much to promote in the School.

J. V. S. * *

Tomorrow's Aberdeen (Looking Twenty Years Ahead) The future development of Aberdeen is something of keen interest to pupil and F. P. alike; we are accordingly very much obliged to our Director of Town Planning who has written this article at the special request of the Editor.

1933: Many of you, I would hope, will sometime have heard reference to the " Aberdeen and District Joint Town Planning Scheme " of 1933, for this was one of the very first town planning schemes to be prepared under the new planning legislation of the previous year and must be regarded as yet another example of Aberdeen's being in the forefront in many fields. Its preparation was indicative of the interest in town planning which had been displayed by the Town Council for a long time—a cynic might say because of the Council's awareness of the need to avoid a repeat of the financial straits which followed that great feat of earlier town planning and engineering, the construction of Union Street!

1947: It was not very surprising, therefore, that shortly after the last war the Council renewed their interest in planning, and in 1947 appointed a firm of town planning consultants to prepare a civic survey and " advisory plan " for the future development of the City, i.e. over a long-term period of (say) fifty years, but whilst this survey and plan was being carried through the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1947 became law and required all local planning authorities to prepare a twenty-year development plan. A new Town Planning Department was accordingly formed in 1949, having as one of its first main tasks the preparation of such a statutory plan; naturally this was to a great extent based on the " advisory plan ", which by then had already been completed and presented to the Council. The " advisory plan "—intended not so much to relate to a specific period of time as to point the way and suggest possibilities, looking far ahead —might be said to cover certainly no less than about sixty years, so that the first statutory plan was no more than the first phase of it.

1958: This first statutory plan was approved by the Secretary of State for Scotland in May 1958, and in accordance with one of the requirements of the 1947 Act it now, five years later, falls to be reviewed and submitted again for his approval by May 1963.

The revision as at May 1963 is intended—to bring the Plan up to date—to re-define proposals which are intended to be carried out within

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine the first five-year period and—to look another five years further on, so that the full plan period remains at twenty years. In these days of rapid change of ideas, of policy and of technical ability even that period puts a strain on all forms of forecasting, town and country planning not least. To this extent all the statutory plans must be viewed as something elastic in certain respects, so as to allow of the absorption of those changing factors and requirements which reveal themselves and have to be given effect to at these quinquennial reviews.

At this time of preparing the first (1963) review it may be of interest to take a look at some of the more important aspects to which the Council must give careful consideration.

76

Population The population of the City (185,6oo at the 1961 census) is now increasing at only a small rate—a matter of one or two hundred a year, and all the present indications are that this will continue at a decreasing rate for some years yet, and then indeed that the population may reach a peak and even start declining in the 197os. Many post-war population forecasts have been proved to be very wide of the mark, but so far there is no reason to anticipate a markedly different trend from that outlined above, and the Plan is therefore based on a total population of some 187,000.

Housing But the number of houses required to accommodate this population is increasing all the time as households tend to get smaller with a still increasing proportion of elderly people in the community living separately, and as a rising standard of living encouraging young people to marry earlier and and set up house for themselves sooner than in the past. In the 193os the average " occupancy rate " in the City was about four people per house; now it is about 3.15 and may well fall to about 2.9. More and still more houses will be required to meet this demand, and to replace the slums and sub-standard housing which are still with us today and those which will come into these categories in future.

And here one must not lose sight of another factor: whilst an extra room is now considered desirable for T.V. viewing, homework, courting, entertaining and even just to accommodate the greater amount of furniture and effects a higher standard of living leads to, it will without a doubt be considered as an essential in years to come. Whilst this will not affect the " occupancy rate " per house, the average size of house per family will increase over that to which housing programmes to date have been working. In fact one really wonders if it will ever be possible to catch up with housing requirements! What is quite plain is the fact that there can be no easing-off in the production of new or modernised houses. But how can these be provided? Can we go on extending the City outwards, replacing good agricultural land with a sprawling suburbia? Whilst doubtless the majority of people, forgetting other considerations would prefer a semi-detached house to a flat, this could not be, so that for lack of space we must live

Tomorrow's Aberdeen 77 achieve. could alone at a greater density than semi-detached housing The Plan still accepts the existing limits to which the post-war housing development has been planned to extend as the ultimate perimeter of the City. The housing development now begun south of the Skene Road at Hazlehead is of a form new to Aberdeen, but promises to be well worthy of so fine a setting; it is thus no unexpected encroachment into this area; for it has long been zoned for housing development.

A new area, however, is the land to the south of Balnagask Road towards the Old Nigg Churchyard which will absorb nearly i,ooo houses and where building is due to begin quite soon. This scheme too is planned on lines which are new to Aberdeen, with split-level housing making the best use of the steep ground and pedestrian approach to housing being largely separated from the service roads.

The progressive redevelopment of all the prefabricated housing schemes will provide the opportunity for at least doubling the population in these areas. And in due course land now being tipped to the east of King Street at Seaton will be available for further housing development.

At the same time the first of the older areas near the centre of the City, at Skene Street, Gallowgate and Castlehill, are being redeveloped comprehensively, with striking new housing schemes including multistorey blocks of flats and maisonettes. This form of rebuilding will gather momentum as unbuilt-on land at the perimeter of the City becomes less and less available, and to mention but two areas likely to be redeveloped as a whole for predominantly housing purposes within the next twenty years the areas bounded by Hutcheon Street, Causewayend, Spring Garden, George Street, and by King Street, East North Street, Park Street and Roslin Terrace are already being considered. Whilst high densities must be achieved in these valuable central area sites, new open spaces and space for cars must also be incorporated.

At the same time much more of our large inheritance of tenement property must also be brought into the still rather modest programme of modernisation in the effort to keep the standards of our housing on the upward trend.

Industry The industrial future of the City cannot be seen at the present time to be particularly bright and every attempt must be made to check a drift of population to the South by bringing in new industries of a varied and generally light nature such as plastics and electronics, to which our resources of skilled labour can profitably turn. There is a generous allowance for industrial expansion in the industrial estates at Tullos, Craigshaw and Mastrick, though space is not so easily found for industrial purposes in the Harbour and central areas.

University and Hospital Two areas of the City, already well-established for their respective principal purposes, are likely to see great building activities in future.

At Old Aberdeen the University is embarking on a programme to double its capacity within ten years. Much land is needed to provide for all the new teaching buildings, halls of residence and playing fields

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 78 required to accommodate some 5,ooo students. Fortunately much of Seaton Park is available to meet the land requirements, and the opportunities for creating in this quarter of the City a centre of learning and culture of outstanding quality are challenging and exciting. I would here express a fervent hope that in this area, of all places, the motor car will be even more strictly disciplined than the student, so that an atmosphere of peace and quiet appropriate to the University precinct may be restored and the High Street and College Bounds given over more or less entirely to the pedestrian.

At Foresterhill the large tract of land running westwards from Westburn Drive to Anderson Drive is destined to be progressively developed over the next twenty years as the City's Hospital Centre, the City Hospital and Woodend to (eventually) be given up. (These sites may then provide useful outlets for housing redevelopments.)

Striking new buildings will arise in this fine setting, conveniently placed, in its proximity to the Ring Road, for access from the city and landward areas it serves.

Roads And what of our roads? How are we to cope with traffic, estimated to be treble the present figure by 198o, when on average every family owns a car? How are we to avoid Union Street, for example, becoming a solid traffic jam from end to end? The development of three major relief routes based on existing streets will be the principal means of counteracting central area congestion caused by our increasing mobility. (i ) A ring road using Willowbank Road, College Street, Guild Street, Virginia Street on the south and Carden Place, Skene Street, St. Andrews Street on the north will take much of the east-west traffic off Union Street. (a and ) And two routes to the north, one under and one to the east of Union Street will reduce the present cross traffic at the Bridge Street and Market Street crossings.

The former will use Rennie's Wynd, Denburn Road, Woolmanhill and Skene Square and the latter Commerce Street, East and West North Streets, Causewayend and Powis Place. Improvements are envisaged to most parts of these streets to give dual-carriageway layouts whereever possible (e.g. much of Guild Street has recently been so reconstructed in connection with the establishment of the new bus station opposite the railway station).

Car Parking Many other improvements and street widenings are also, of course, envisaged, giving overall greater actual space for moving, and indeed standing, vehicles. But standing vehicles will in future require a great deal of off-street space and several large multi-level car parks are already in advanced planning stages: for example, Shiprow, Castlehill, Gallowgate, Upper Denburn, Bon-Accord Crescent; and perhaps later on, over the railway between Union Bridge and Guild Street.

These will be related to the Inner Ring Road, with the intention that economic and other sanctions may discourage unnecessary use of cars within the central area, and encourage the greater use of public service

Tomorrow's Aberdeen

79 transport. This we must not allow to run down and indeed there is scope for a re-examination of all means of mass transit to see whether greater use can be made of this potential. Mini-buses with a greater variety of routes, greater comfort in public vehicles and subsidised fares are all worth consideration, the latter particularly being considerably cheaper than the enormous road works which will be required to cope with unlimited use of private cars. Meanwhile the " softeningup " process of getting the Aberdonian into accepting the need to pay for the convenience of central area car parking is under way with the progressive introduction of "no waiting" and unilateral waiting restrictions making it increasingly difficult to rely on finding a parking space close to the place of business! For only when this inconvenience exceeds acceptability will the expensive multi-storey central area car parks become economic propositions.

I have mentioned one example of the two-tier road pattern, currently called the " fly-over " or " underpass ", which Aberdeen is so fortunate to possess already, viz. Rennie's Wynd/Denburn Road. There are two other existing underpasses to Union Street, albeit narrow, at Correction Wynd and Carnegie's Brae, the latter about to be widened in connection with the redevelopment of St. Nicholas Street. Much can be made of the advantages of this separate service road and I believe that more and more will the different types of road user—through traffic, service traffic and pedestrian—be segregated one from the other to the benefit of all three; however much thoughts in this direction are scoffed at so far in this comparatively uncongested City.

Commerce Finally, a word about commercial activities, for since it is not possible here to cover all aspects of our future City, I have mentioned those changes which will make the greatest impact on its appearance.

The need for a greater amount of office accommodation in the City is very limited and the absence of this money-spinner will discourage the erection of high-rise commercial building. But new large-scale shopping redevelopments are about to take place and are likely to continue for some time. On Union Street, Littlewoods are at last making good an unsightly gap in the street frontage and are extending south over the Green to provide two very extensive sales floors : I envisage this as setting a precedent likely to be followed along most of the frontage from C. & A. Modes building at Bridge Street to Market Street. The redevelopment of the former Royal Northern Club site and the Y.M.C.A. premises is about to take place, as well as the provision of new shops along the south side of a widened Union Bridge.

In St. Nicholas Street/George Street, the imminent redevelopment of Marks and Spencers will be the first of what I expect to be a continuing redevelopment of this main popular shopping street, in which the comfort and safety of pedestrians will, I hope, be given full regard.

And when you who live elsewhere re-visit the City in future, perhaps you will land at a heliport conveniently situated on the Links.

W. A. COLCLOUGH, Director of Town Planning

8o

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

"Doddy" Hay reports on Two "first-ever" Exploits in Testing Ejection Seats Testing ejection seats sounds all very Dan Dare; it is, in fact, nothing of the sort. It is a job based simply upon attitude, aptitude, and experience—test parachutists, like test pilots, are not stunt-men but technicians. A show-off or a would-be hero would not be allowed within fifty feet of an experimental seat.

The seats themselves are not tested; they are turned out by the thousand, and each and every one of them is a miracle of mechanical precision. At my last count the Martin-Baker Aircraft Company alone were producing no less than eighty-four different types of seat to be installed in the operational aircraft of some forty Air Forces throughout the world, each type fractionally different from the others, each a tailor-made life-saver for the man who would eventually occupy it.

Live testing is called for only when there is some new development that must be proved. Men and Ministries who hold lives in their hands are rightly sceptical of theories and blueprints—no matter how convincing the idea, they like to be able to discuss it with someone who has actually tried it out. At its simplest their principle seems to be " if he can appear at the meeting afterwards, at least we know it works ".

Not a bad yardstick at that!

For there are certain aspects of the game in which practical experience alone can come up with the right and final answer—and the answer is sometimes surprising. Let me try to illustrate this by reference to just two innovations with which I was intimately concerned; each a " first-in-the-world ", and each, according to the experts—medical, mechanical, aerodynamic-impossible!

"Escape" from a V-bomber First was the experience of being shot out of the rear compartment of a V-bomber—in this case a Valiant flown by a pilot of the Bomber Command Development Unit.

In the V-Force there exists a disgraceful situation in that of each aircraft's crew of five only two are provided with ejection-seats; in an emergency the captain and the co-pilot on the bridge can fire themselves to safety while their three companions, deep down in the belly of the plane, have only the most slender hope of survival. " Experts " had said that the installation of seats for them was out of the question— no man could be fired from such a position and survive.

However, on i July 196o, I was fired from just such a position, from the bowels of a Valiant flying at i,ooo feet at 3oo miles per hour, over the airfield at Chalgrove, Oxfordshire. It was, in its way, a remarkable experience.

At ten o'clock in the morning I was strapped into my seat and cut off from the rest of the world. Not even my crew could talk to me, for I was surrounded by a metal screen installed to protect them from

Two "first-ever" Exploits

8i

the sheet of flame that would accompany my eventual departure. We took off from Finningley in Yorkshire and were due over Chalgrove thirty-five minutes later. I rehearsed my drill a couple of times and then settled down to the Telegraph crossword. (If Mr. James Walker is still on the School staff he may be gratified to learn that my record for this exercise in English is eight and a half minutes—in front of witnesses.)

My seat was about 9 feet beneath the roof of the aircraft—above me was a square aperture just a inches wider than my shoulders, and connecting us was a pair of guide-rails up which the seat would travel.

On the wall in front were two lights—red for ready, green for go.

After half an hour, when I was beginning to wet my lips and flex my muscles, a message was passed round the screen to tell me that the official observers from the Ministry has been delayed, and would I mind if we flew around for another hour or so?

Now this point is important; it is so fundamental to all that I am trying to say that I must stress it, even in the knowledge that if I am misunderstood I have laid myself wide open to charges ranging from vanity to mock-heroics. My immediate reaction to this message, handed to me with such an air of sympathetic apology, was one of pure delight that I should be given just that much longer to enjoy the peculiar anticipatory thrill of a new and worthwhile experience, a breakthrough in my profession in which years of research would be proved effective in a few explosive seconds that nobody else would share.

I was scared all right, although not of any obvious hazard—and this, I feel, is the attitude that characterises the test-man. I had complete faith in my equipment—I always have—and my fear was of some personal failing, some slowness of reaction, some momentary hesitation that would foul up all the work that had gone before.

Second thoughts at that speed, and you've missed the airfield, and explanations afterwards just wouldn't mean a thing. The trust of every man who has worked on that project, and there are many, all your friends, is placed for the moment in your hands alone. This is the frightening aspect of the job and at the same time the exhilarating challenge that makes it incomparably satisfying; for you know all along that no matter how you feel you can do it. And you do.

The Valiant shot went well. We thundered up the rails like a souped-up express, I saw the huge tailplane slide away beneath me, and then there was a wee bit of hurly-burly in the slipstream—a sort of weightless buffeting and a couple of untidy somersaults as the blast from the engines caught me. The parachute streamed at 4.9 seconds— right on time—the seat fell away, and from then on it was a routine descent. A flock of aviation doctors rummaged through my vertebrae as if searching for bargains and admitted almost grudgingly that I seemed, on the face of it, to be all right. But they were very nice about it.

Rocket-assisted " escape" from zero feet

The Rocket shot was quite different. It took place on i April 1961, just eleven days B.G. (before Gagarin), and so was the first occasion on

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which a man had left the ground under rocket-power. Here, of course, the similarity ends—unlike the great Gagarin, I know when to stop.

But in its field it was a development of immense importance, the full value of which will be seen only if, as seems inevitable, the rocket-seat is installed in the high-performance aircraft of the immediate future.

The aim was to prove that a pilot could be shot to safety without the aid of two important factors that contribute to the efficiency of a conventional seat—altitude and forward speed. The altitude is required to allow time for the parachute assembly to function, the forward speed ensures that the canopy will deploy quickly as the rush of air hits it.

Naturally we wished to prove our point as dramatically and convincingly as possible; the aviation world was highly sceptical about the whole affair. Accordingly we dispensed altogether with an aircraft and mounted the seat on an iron frame in the middle of the airfield, the whole thing bearing a faintly disturbing resemblance to the electric chair.

It was a wonderful ride. I pulled the firing-handle, the rockets cut in with their tremendous thrust, and off we went into the wild blue yonder with zo-foot flames roaring out just z inches from my ankles.

It was, I'm told, quite a ooh-ah sort of sight.

The conventional seat fires you about 7o feet up; I was past that mark before I had started. At izo feet and still climbing, the seat turned upside down—nae bother, it was meant to—and I had the most extraordinary sensation of my life. For all this was happening very fast indeed, and the picture before me at that moment was exactly the opposite of what all my previous experience had led me to expect.

Instead of earth there were clouds; instead of falling away from them I was climbing towards them—and I was flying up feet-first. It was just as if, suddenly stretching your arms out in front of you, you saw the shoulder at the far end and the fingers attached to your body. It was a fantastic flashing image that will never be repeated—I have ridden the rocket since then, and my mind now knows what is coming and accepts it as natural.

On that first shot, however, there were still things to be done and reactions to be noted and later reported upon. At a little over zoo feet a small gun fired behind my back and out popped the little drogue parachutes, stabilising the seat and dragging behing them the main canopy, a beautiful nylon umbrella. Such was the thrust of the rockets that even then the seat continued to climb, with Wee Willie going boots first to 38o feet, dragging an open parachute beneath him. But for the braking-power of that canopy I'm not sure I wouldn't still be climbing.

At the crest of the ride I rolled over in a gigantic cartwheel, and the seat fell away from me to bury itself in the ground with an almighty thud that made me more than thankful that everything had worked and I wasn't still with it. Next I released a couple of buckles and jettisoned the dinghy-pack that I had been wearing in the interests of realism, sorted out my whereabouts, and steered in for the landing. The entire procedure from firing to touch-down had taken exactly eighteen seconds. They were amongst the happiest of my life.

" School at the Turn of the Century"

83

The rocket-seat had been proved in its capacity to save the pilot even from a catastrophe on take-off or landing—the particular importance of this to the men who will fly the new Vertical Take-off planes is self-evident. Now all that remains is to explore the other end of the scale and try it out under test conditions at very high speed, probably something around the Sonic barrier. That will be my next responsibility; it promises to be an interesting one.

WILLIAM T. H. HAY (1926-38)

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[" Doddy " Hay flew as a Tail Gunner during the war and his later service included tours at the Air Ministry, the R.A.F. College, Cranwell, the Parachute School and a four-year stint as Air Force Liaison Officer to the Airborne Forces.

On his resigning his R.A.F. Commission in 1957, he was then retained as a Test Parachutist to the Martin Baker Aircraft Co., he having, in the course of his R.A.F. career made over 4oo descents and he having represented Great Britain in the World Parachute Championships in 1954. Now he is a Journalist specialising in sports writing and features for the Observer and some Magazines, and he has two books on the stocks which arc due for publication in the summer of 1964.

After seeing " Doddy " Hay being interviewed on a television programme, the Editor wrote to him and the foregoing article is one which he was good enough to furnish especially for the Magazine.]

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School at the Turn of the Century The notice in the December issue of your magazine of the death of Sir Arthur Lothian and the excellent tribute to his distinguished career in India revived for me many memories.

It is more than sixty years now since Lothian and I met. We were classmates in the Grammar in the sixth and seventh Classicals (19oz-4) and the friendship begun at school continued during our Arts Course at the University.

I came to the Grammar from Wester Ross where the name and fame of the School was well known. It had in fact been a tradition to send boys from the local school to continue their studies at Aberdeen's most famous school. Some of my seniors had already gone and reached the University.

The change from a small country school to one in a large town is never easy, and the long journey from Gairloch required a stout heart in those days, even without the additional disturbing thought of meeting new boys and new teachers in a strange environment.

I well remember how impressed and small I felt at seeing the large school, the long corridor, and the spacious Hall. But what moved and encouraged me was the warmth and frankness of the welcome given me by teachers and boys.

As it happened Lothian was one of the first pupils (then in Class VI) to show me his friendship openly. He was by nature frank and friendly, eager to show a newcomer the way of things, and generally putting one at ease. This friendship continued firmly during our school days, just the time when it meant most to me. To Lothian

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine the genial and sympathetic approach was natural. Along with a delicate sensitiveness he had a keen analytic mind, both of which appear to have been successfully employed during his years of brilliant service in the East.

It is interesting to recall those far-off days in school, especially the character of certain teachers who ruled over us.

Of these I must first mention him who taught us Latin and Greek— a great scholar, a hard worker and a most lovable person. It is true that some members of the class baited him now and again, but they loved him nevertheless. To relieve the tedium of translating Euripides or Thucydides someone would ask solemnly for light on a certain passage, which when patiently explained would be followed by another member of the class, with a mock-serious air, posing another question. The teacher soon saw through this. It was an old trick being played, a wasting of time—an attempt to sabotage the precious period. There could have been few classical teachers equal to him in his day. I need not mention his nickname. All Grammarians know it.

And there was Macleod (Dr. Macleod after my time) always in complete control of the class—in a kindly but nevertheless commanding way. It was significant that pupils called him by his Christian name. There appeared to be a special relationship between him and his class. He had a brusque but fatherly way with him and never neglected the weak mathematician. Everyone, he was heard to aver, could learn mathematics if he set his mind to it. Always a hard worker and for most of the time at the blackboard, I don't remember him ever sitting down in the classroom.

In my last year I had the privilege of knowing him out of school.

At his own suggestion he gave me private lessons in Dynamics at his own house. I've never forgotten that. Knowing now how precious evening hours are to a busy teacher I realise what a sacrifice it was for him, and he did it for me of whom he had known nothing till I entered his class. It was typical of the man. I honour his memory.

Murison, the head of the English Department, the pupils regarded with respect. His presence exuded Authority. He rarely raised his voice, but he stood no nonsense and could be quietly withering when there was need. He had a way of making his subject interesting, and pupils worked for him. But to a beginner he seemed cold and aloof.

Later on I discovered he was neither. He was one of the kindest men one could meet. He would go to all sorts of trouble to help one when approached privately.

What a splendid trio these men were! Much of what they taught me I have forgotten, but their influence remains—that indefinable thing called character—their attitude to their work and to their pupils— that will always live with me.

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J. M.

Scotland . Past and Present

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(Book Review)

Scotland .

Past and Present

Scottish Literature and the Scottish People tifgo-1830.

David Craig (1937-3o).* (Chatto and Windus. 3os.)

It will be generally agreed that past Scottish literature is more often praised than read. Scotsmen do not know their own literature as they should; too often a few inaccurately mumbled lines from Bums is the sum of their knowledge in this field. It is also true that the Scot usually has quite a few names and dates from Scottish history lodged in his memory—the date of Bannockburn, and the date and result of Flodden, for example. 1603 and 5707 are symbolic figures about which he is prepared to argue, though very often he is not embarrassed by any fund of accurate knowledge of these events. But what is chiefly lacking is discrimination—the ability to feel and to assess the quality of poems and stories, and to appreciate how they fit into that Scottish tradition of which, willy-nilly, we are a part. Too often the " history " is entirely separate from the literature (the novels, stories and poems)—each of them inert as regards the other. And as a result the most paradoxical opinions come to be held, by the knowledgeable as well as the ignorant.

These thoughts are prompted by a reading of this book. It is an attempt— and a finely informed and successful attempt—to trace some of the relationships between the life of the Scottish people and the literature that was written and appreciated particularly in the period 1680-1830. The author goes outside these bounds at times—for he has a well equipped mind and sees connections and developments that issue from events and attitudes of the period of his choice, and he likes to pursue a train of thought. At times he ranges far, and also he brings to the reader's attention an immensely varied stock of references, so that the book, particularly in the earlier chapters, is not all that easy reading. But it is very rewarding.

In his introductory chapter Dr. Craig quotes G. M. Trevelyan and Dr. G. S. Pryde (the first an English authority, the second a Scot) as historians who typically speak of our eighteenth-century literature as somehow being a consequence of the Union of 1707. They saw Scotland as a backward, semi-barbarous country brought into the comity of the progressive nations, and, released from its long tradition of religious and civil strife, settling down to " supply the world with the appealing lyrics and stirring historical novels which her two great writers specialised in", It is a view commonly advanced by many historians inside and outside Scotland. A different view is rather well typified by something I recently saw in Aberdeen. For a few days the base of the Wallace Statue in Schoolhill carried the white-painted words " Died, 5707 ". The simple legend, beneath the shadow of the outflung arm of the hero, and beneath (for those who stop to read) the words recorded as spoken at his trial in 1305, had a pathetic effectiveness. As if, for example, the frustrated anger of Mr. G. S. Fraser (who is, like Dr. Craig a former pupil of the Grammar School) had found a briefer but no less memorable form. ' I kick a lamp-post, and in grief I rave: With Byron and with Lcrmontov Romantic Scotland's in the grave ", wrote Mr. Fraser, many years ago. This violence of romantic rejection, has it any justification, we may ask; or is it merely a bitter, petulant refusal to accept the decisions of history? It is questions of this sort that Dr. Craig faces. They are real questions.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magatine

For if Scotland, effective Scotland, died in 1707 how are we to explain away the fact that Ramsay, Ferguson and Burns all wrote in the eighteenth-century; that Hume, Adam Smith, Robertson and others made Edinburgh the " Athens of the North ", and spread her fame throughout Europe; that John Galt and Sir Walter Scott made the Scottish novel the great and seminal wonders of the time. The anonymous dauber of the Wallace Statue would seem to be decisively refuted.

But other considerations come to mind, and chiefly this that the nineteenth century saw a terrible decline; in creative literature Scotland did so little, and many writers of Scottish origin worked outside Scotland. " The glorification of Scotland's ' Golden Age' does not explain the cultural impasse which followed ", writes Dr. Craig; " the use of the native language became embarrassed, poetry ran shallow and dried up, the novel was provincial from the start, many of the most original minds emigrated."

It is to the explanation of this deep malaise that Dr. Craig turns his well-stored, energetic and discriminating mind. He ranges wide and he goes deep, and his judgments may seem to many to be too rigorous. For example, he has obviously, both from his general tone and from his explicit critical comment, the very highest admiration for Burns; but he asserts that only in the merest handful of poems, five, in fact, was Burns fully successful. Yet we have to remember that successful poems to him means poems in which Burns fully realises himself: and Dr. Craig is perhaps right, for the purposes of his argument, to underline this fact. One main theme of the book is that a great literature, one that is deep, complex and responsive to the real demands of life is in a sense a product of an essentially healthy society, a society where men do in fact fully face the problems that beset them.

In writing on the Scottish novel Dr. Craig moves with the assurance of great knowledge and a steady conviction. Again he is rigorous, with Sir Walter Scott, for example, and in particular with John Galt for whom he appears to have a more than objectively critical disregard. And in his consideration of Hogg's strange masterpiece Confessions of a Justified Sinner he is at his best, in his appreciation both of the novel itself, and of the examples from historical records of similar possession.

The book concludes with a consideration of the talent lost to Scotland by emigration—of men who were moved in varying degrees by dissatisfaction with hardship, narrowness or lack of opportunity. But their country had put its mark on them, particularly, says the author, in the form of an unresolved nostalgia which prevented them from facing in their writing the real problems of the actual world. Stevenson, away from home, glamourised Scotland; Lewis Grassic Gibbon in London sought to recapture a Scotland that more and more as he desperately wrote, departed from the truth, for nostalgia had taken over to the detriment of truth.

This book issues from a deep affection for Scotland, but the tone is not easy or comfortable. Because the writer loves his country and knows that its possibilities are not being realised he can be bitter. But these astringent judgments should be listened to. As should also Dr. Craig's final comment: " One comes to think that a freer spirit, facing up more openly to experience at large, whatever its origins, might better enable the Scottish writer to cope with the problems of living in this place at this time." A Scotsman will be no less a Scotsman because he knows— and acts and writes on that knowledge—that he is a citizen of the modern world, one world.

A. T.

" All Creatures Great and Small"

87

" All Creatures Great and Small "* The buffalo which roamed North America one hunderd years ago did so in tens of millions . . . now they can be counted only in hundreds, the few saved only in the nick of time from imminent extinction at the hands of so-called " sportsmen ". The post-war development programme in Tanganyika became a music-hall joke as " the groundnut scheme ", but it was no laughing matter for the wildlife of the area, for thousands upon thousands of giraffes, rhinos and other larger animals were shot to clear the land. In this country•, in the words of Peter Scott " The birds, beasts, and wild flowers, which have for so long been the rich heritage of our own countryside, are being destroyed needlessly and indiscriminately by certain chemicals used carelessly or ignorantly on farm land. Our rivers are used as sewers . . . . We in Britain have played our careless part in the monumental wastage of our natural world . . . . If you believe in the future of mankind you must believe that wisdom will ultimately prevail and that gradually the delicate relationship between water, soil, plants, animals, and man himself will be properly understood."

Surely life can be greatly enriched by an inward awareness of the relationship between man and nature, a realisation of " the essential unity of all living creatures, great and small ". * Based upon " All Creatures Great and Small "—a pamphlet written by Peter Scott, the famous naturalist in connection with the World Wildlife Fund appeal.

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The late Mr. George R. Strachan Mr. George R. Strachan, former head of the Technical Department, died in Aberdeen on 14 January 1963. Mr. Strachan joined the School staff in the autumn of 1932 from Rosemount School, with the title of " Manual Master ", and retired on 7 February x 947. He was in his eighty-third year and had witnessed, in relation to his own subjects, sweeping changes, not only in the Grammar School but also in the whole educational scene. Under his aegis, Woodwork expanded into a full Technical Department, presenting pupils for the Higher Leaving Certificate in 1945, and Mr. Strachan's pioneering work laid the foundations for its present strength. After his retiral, he continued as a Teacher of Building Subjects in the Evening Classes of Robert Gordon's Technical College until 1962, when he relinquished this post which he had held for fifty-five years—an unprecedented term of service.

Outside his work, Mr. Strachan had varied interests, being for many years a member of the Carlton Bowling Club and of Murcar Golf Club. He was also a staunch follower of the " Dons ", even in their darkest hour. No tribute would be complete which did not take into account the inestimable service he rendered his own colleagues, viz. the founding and administrating, over a long period, of

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the Staff Golf Outings. These he attended, playing two full rounds up to his late seventies, at Aboyne or Ballater, which he seemed to love more than any place on earth. George took considerable pleasure in presenting the prizes on these happy occasions and delighted us all with anecdotes and reminiscences of the " Good old days ".

Many familiar faces have vanished forever from that scene but none will be remembered with greater affection than that of George Strachan.

To Mrs. Strachan and her daughter we extend our sincere sympathy in their great loss and readily assure them that it was indeed a privilege beyond measure to have known so loyal and faithful a colleague.

R. McL. * The Late Dr. R. E. Wetherly For a wide circle of Grammarians the sudden death of Dr. Bob Wetherly was a tragic blow. His popularity was such, both with his former professional associates and the numerous friends of his leisure hours that, although he had been resident for some considerable time in Sunderland, he was still a well-known and popular figure on his occasional visits to Aberdeen.

There have surely been few keener all-round sportsmen produced by the School in the past three decades than R. E. Wetherly. He was a wholehearted club man who rendered excellent service at different times to almost all the F.P. sports sections.

As a cricketer, he was a regular member of the F.P. team of 1948 which won the Strathmore Union League Championship under a fellow doctor, T. M. Allan, a feat which has never since been accomplished by a Rubislaw side.

He was, too, a regular rugby player until after the war when he switched to hockey, and for five years was a well-known player at leftback in the first eleven. There is no doubt that, had he taken up the game at an earlier age, he would have attained more than local recognition. Although Bob played to win he never lost his sense of humour, and was always ready to help and encourage younger members. He remained unruffled on the field of play even when the game was going against his team and, off the field, was the soul of good humour. Tennis and golf were other activities which gave him much pleasure.

On leaving School Bob went to Aberdeen University where he graduated B.Sc. in 1939, and, on the outbreak of war he served in the R.A.M.C. throughout it both at home and abroad, reaching the rank of sergeant. It was during the war years that he developed his interest in pathology, and this prompted him to enrol as a medical student on demobilisation.

89 Bursary Competition, 1O3 During his student days he had plenty of scope for increasing his friendships through outdoor activities of all kinds. On one occasion he and the writer had a most enjoyable tour of Scandinavia, leaving Aberdeen in a Norwegian trawler; and a more agreeable companion would have been hard to find.

After his medical graduation, he entered the field of Pathology, in which he was rapidly making a name for himself. He had become just as well-liked and respected in the Sunderland area by all his associates as he was in Aberdeen.

A. H. I. *

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Bursary Competition, 1963 Candidates from the School made a reasonable showing in the Aberdeen University Bursary Competition this year. Our congratulations are due the following boys whose names appeared on the official list of awards : In Arts: Kenneth J. Thomson, £75 ; Geoffrey E. Wood, £zs; David A. Moir, £zo.

In Science: Stuart P. Hepburn, L5 o; Gordon J. Dorward, Eric G. Grant, Iain G. MacKenzie, £as each.

Neil Cromar was declared eligible for an Arts Bursary, but he having since decided to enter the Faculty of Law his award is still under consideration by the University. *

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SCHOOL SECTION School Office-Bearers Prefects ROBIN A. CRAIG (Senior Prefect) KENNETH J. THOMSON (Deputy Senior Prefect) JOHN D. ANDERSON DENNIS A. BRIT-r THOMAS DICKSON NEIL D. FORREST STUART P. HEPBURN PETER G. STEPHEN

JAMES A. BANKS GRAHAM D. CAIE GORDON J. DORWARD DOUGLAS G. FOWLIE DAVID A. MOIR DOUGLAS I. STEWART ALISTAIR B. THOMSON

TARIQ BHATTI MESTON C. CHRISTIE PHILIP J. EVANS JOHN W. HADDEN ALISTAIR F. PHILIP PETER J. N. STEWART

House Captains Byron

Dun

ROBIN A. CRAIG

JAMES A. BANKS Melvin

Keith JOHN W. HADDEN

TARIQ BlIATTI Rugby Vice-Captain

Captain

ROBIN A. CRAIG

Captain

NEIL D. FORREST

JAMES A. BANKS

Hockey Vice-Captain

TARIQ BHATTI

Swimming

Vice-Captain

Captain

DOUGLAS G. FOWLIE

Captain

ROBIN A. CRAIG

Captain

ROBIN A. CRAIG

Captain

ROBIN A. CRAIG

President Secretary

KENNETH J. THOMSON PETER J. N. STEWART

President Secretary

PETER J. N. STEWART GRAHAM D. CAIE

C.S.M.

JOHN D. ANDERSON

PETER M. COLLIER

Cricket Vice-Captain

JOHN W. HADDEN

Athletics Vice-Captain

JAMES A. BANKS

Tennis Vice-Captain JOHN W. HADDEN

Literary and Debating Society l'ice-President ALAN LESLIE Treasurer GRAHAM D. CAIE

Dramatic Society Vice-President KENNETH J. THOMSON Treasurer GORDON J. DORWARD Cadet Force W.O.

GORDON J. DORWARD

Editors of School Section ROBIN A. CRAIG KENNETH J. THOMSON

WALTER J. COUTTS GORDON J. DORWARD 9°

School Section

91

School and Random Notes Fresh from six months' confinement in the East Tower to which we were sentenced for refusing to reveal our sources for the Christmas Random Notes, your editors, forthright, fearless, free-speaking, have returned again to uphold the traditions of the gutter press. *

Two stalwarts (one more stalwart than the other) have recently joined the ranks of uniformed officialdom in the form of assistant jannies. One, we believe, is an ex-Military Policeman whose experience will no doubt be put to good use in controlling the flood of blue-clad impery which periodically washes;from one end of the mighty Channel Corridor to the other, bearing on its crest a few pathetic scraps of prefcctorial flotsam and jetsam, dashing itself against the ancient bastion of the Main Door, and eddying turbulently to stagnate in the hidden backwaters of the School. " There is a tide in the affairs of men . . . " * While on the subject of bastions, we regret to report the passing of the Green Door between the Kindergarten and the Lower School. No longer in winter will berserk herds of humanity struggle to pass through this veritable needle's eye to attain a h(e)aven safe from the clouds of flying snowballs which assault their frozen cars. It was here that a certain member of the Science Department, brushing the snow from his head, was heard to remark, " I think due lads are trying to kill me "—well, maybe! * * * We would like to take this opportunity of congratulating George Sommerville, who played for the Scottish Schools' Hockey XI this year, and Robin Craig, who was selected for the Scottish Schools' Rugby XV. *

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Our political correspondent has tendered the following report: " Mr. N. W. King, prospective Liberal Candidate for East Aberdeenshire (pause for deep breath), today employed for the first time, a new vote-catching gimmick. Affixed to his nearside rear window is a gaily-coloured poster which reads, ` Get Britain Moving with the Liberals.' " While this would no doubt look very effective on an E-type Jag., we feel that its impact is slightly diminished by the nature of our history master's car. * * * The Swimming Pool is at last nearing completion, and, as this is being written, speculation is ripe as to the opening date. But over-eager swimmers be warned !

Your erudite editors have, in their pursuit of the occult arts, discovered the following quotation: " They who bathe in May will be soon laid in clay They who bathe in June will sing a merry tune."

W. HONE Will Mr. Hawksworth now immerse his choir in the limpid waters of the Pool?

Perhaps not, but, who knows, a drowning man will clutch at any straw!

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Aberdeen Grammar School Maga:zine

After many years of unrecognised (and unrecognisable?) toil, the prefecture is to be rewarded. By Grand Decree of the August and All-powerful Education Committee, Mr. John Flett, Mathematics Master, is to quit his domain next year.

The hallowed precincts of Room 3o are due to be desecrated by this transformation into a bigger and better llowff. The prefects' only worry now is that the fire escape will provide a ready access route for anarchistic elements among the lower forms. True to the classic tradition of the School, we can imagine Leonadaic prefects holding the tire escape against the fearsome hordes. *

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The deterioration of Mr. Brown's has reliefs apparently forced him in April to instigate excavations by the Esslemont Avenue gate in search of relics to augment his collection of classical antiques. No traces of Roman occupation were found in the Pit, but it was rumoured that Grampian were interested in the site as the location for a projected series " Son of Quatcrmass ". Such mundane suggestions for its use as a drain for the swimming pool were summarily dismissed by the culture-vultures of the Middle School.

Rumour has it that the A.G.S. Committee of Five is shortly to publish a pamphlet giving the whereabouts of the R.S.G. (Rector's Seat of Government) in the event of nuclear war. A protest march was held on Mayday from the Cadet Store to Byron Statue, where mounted prefects had to be called in to keep the crowds off the gravel. And the R.S.G.? Well, they must use the Amenities Fund for something. * Our Man in the Staff Room reports that following repeated over-exposure to the elements, Mr. Macaulay's bicycle is suffering severely from ferruginous corrosion. Obviously, in these days of mechanisation and advanced electronic technology, Mr. Macaulay's well-tried practice of sending a hapless member of the class to rescue his bike from the weather, as the first drops of rain spatter against the window, is sadly obsolete, and must he replaced by an ultra-modern DEWline radar network coupled with an elite corps of airborne shock-troops, who, at the first blip on the screen, could parachute from one or all of the Room z9 windows and speedily wheel the (t)rusty machine under cover. *

*

The severe winter had widespread repercussions in the School. The construction of the swimming pool was held back a month, more than half the rugby games were cancelled (a fact which goes a long way towards explaining the first XV's unbeaten record), and even the daily third-of-a-pinta had to be chipped out occasionally. Fierce blizzards brought an end to the Ilill-Walking Club's epic attempt on the Broad Hill, and the sea of mud around the Cadet Store froze and became navigable for the first time in months. *

*

The gap between the Two Cultures is about to be widened even further within the School when the planned evacuation of the Maths-Science staff takes place en bloc. Their new home, which is being constructed with a view towards blocking Mr. Henderson's, has already been visited by various masters staking out their claims and has proved a useful distraction during Mr. Tait's poetry readings.

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And so, dear readers, we leave you with the following thought from a lady in the library: " The whole school's coining down about our ears."

*

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Sir James Robertson Prizes The adjudicators found it reasonable this year to make a joint award in the Middle School Section, the one for very worthy contributions in the Doric, the other for a poem in the now orthodox English. The prizes were allocated thus: Neil Cromar, VI Dennis G. C. Anderson, III G4 Geoffrey A. Douglas, III GI

Upper School Middle School

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Staff Notes As from ist December 196z Mr. Lynch became Deputy Rector tout court, and it was with the keenest pleasure that we learned that Mr. Bruce who has so long and so well served the School had been promoted to fill the vacant position of Principal Chemistry Master. This elevation comes at a time when the whole science curriculum in Scottish Schools is being scrutinised and re-organised, and it is particularly fitting that Mr. Bruce should take over when this is being done.

The increasing size of the School and the attendant complexity of organisation has made it necessary for Mr. Lynch to give his full time to the administrative side of the School's activities. It is good to know that this is to continue in such capable hands.

To both we wish success and happiness in their respective spheres.

On 5 January the School heard with sorrow of the death of Mr. Stirling, our janitor. He had been ailing for some time, and bore his illness with the same uncomplaining gentleness that we had so much appreciated in him when he was in full health. To Mrs. Stirling and to their son, the School would express its deep sympathy.

To join Mr. Mackie as janitors there has come Mr. Robert Anderson and Mr. Michael Turner. Mr. Anderson, prior to his appointment here was assistant janitor in the Academy. Mr. Turner held a similar post in the School for the Deaf and Dumb in Polmuir Road. We give them a hearty welcome to the School and hope that they will find things pleasant here.

94

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine Literary and Debating Society

One might, at the end of last year, have been forgiven had one expressed doubt about the future of the Literary and Debating Society. Yet, I think, the Society can justly claim that this has been a highly successful year. Attendances have remained steady and Miss Boyd, in whose domain we hold our weekly meetings, assures us that the speeches have been of a high standard.

On the other hand the second and third years seem to have very little to say for themselves, and one or two of the meetings bore a regrettable resemblance to political rallies.

The first meeting of the Easter Term was a Staff Debate at which Messrs.

Galloway, Ryan, King and Davidson debated the subject, " That Nationalism is undesirable in the Modem World ". The most notable features of this excellent debate were that Mr. Galloway delivered his speech in verse and Mr. Davidson delivered his speech without notes!

To these four gentlemen, to Mr. Tait, to all those other members of staff who have shown interest in the Society, I express our gratitude. To single out any members of the Society for thanks would be, if not pointless, at least very space consuming for there are a large number of people who have shown enthusiasm and willingness to speak.

The last meeting of the year was a new departure and took the form of a publicspeaking competition when nine fifth and sixth year speakers competed for the Bishop Prizes. Each competitor was asked to speak for five minutes on " The Challenge of the Sixties ". Considering the wide variety of interpretations which were put on the subject, the judges, Mr. Skinner, Mr. Henson and Mr. King, must have been faced with a difficult task indeed.

PETER J. N. STEWART, Secretary

Film Society From the point of view of membership this year has, perhaps, been less successful than most. None-the-less those who did join attended regularly, and large turnouts from the Lower School for the more suitable films kept the hall far from empty.

At the showing of " Hamlet " which should have been the highlight of the year, the projector decided " not to be " rather than " to be " and the meeting had to be abandoned.

The most popular film turned out to be " Treasure Island " though I think some of us were a little surprised that we enjoyed " Safety Last ", a silent film starring Harold Lloyd, almost as much.

Thanking people is always difficult for one finds that all the superlatives have been used far too often. It is enough to say that without Messrs. Hemingway and Baxter there would be no Film Society. We are very grateful to them both.

During the year a short film on school life was made by Philip Evans. It is unique in that it is the first film to be made in this school entirely by boys.

PETER J. N. STEWART, Secretary

Arts Club After the Christmas break the Arts Club had a very productive Spring Term.

In the craft section, under Mr. Wood, pottery, modelling, printing and woodcarving flourished, while the painters produced an exceptionally fine set of works.

In January a combined Arts Club-Photographic Society party was organised in the art room itself. Over fifty were present, the Rector also. James Morrison our present Treasurer, made an excellent job of organising the feast. Senior

Two photographs of the School extensions taken by members of the School Photographic Society.

The Paisley Sevens Finalists, 1963

Back Row—D. A. Britt, J. \\ Hadden, M. C. Christie, A. A. Stephen.

Front Row—D. W. Smith, R. A. Craig, J. A. Banks.

Hockey xst XI, 1962-63

Back Row—Mr. R. McNay, J. P. H. Philips, J. A. Campbell, F. G. N. Rennie, P. M. Mann, J. A. Cowie, W. T. Lamb, B. S. Urquhart.

Front Rai' —J. D. Anderson, A. N. T. Bhatti, N. D. Forrest (Capt.), J. A. McDougal, G. H. D. Sommerville.

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members were tireless as waiters. Neil McKinnon (V) arranged a short but delightful recital of music which was very well received. Thereafter, a film of the school made by Philip Evans, our Secretary, and John Palmer (V) was shown, rounded off by a selection of coloured slides by the Photographic Society and an exhibition of work. The Rector said how much he had enjoyed " The Party ". There he voiced the opinion of all.

On another evening we watched a programme on T.V. on ABU SIMBEL— the temple soon to be under water ; and we also joined the Spanish Tour Party at an illustrated talk by Mr. Smith, a young architect, on Spain. Two members, G. Douglas and Colin Rae (III) won a first and second prize in a Brooke Bond tea painting competition.

May we say, therefore, that with such a variety of activities the Arts Club is well enough named. Once again we are indebted to members of the Art Staff for their support.

STUART P. HEPBURN, Upper VI, President

Photographic Society Despite the fact that many Fridays were taken over by examinations and Film Society meetings, a considerable amount of work and a successful monthly print competition has resulted in a noticeable rise in photographic standards among members.

Although the " Highers " occupy a large part of the summer, we shall be able to use the darkroom and other equipment after the beginning of June, when we hope to prepare an exhibition of this year's photographs.

Once again, we arc extremely grateful to Mr. Will for his expert help and supervision throughout the year.

JOHN M. PALMER, Secretary

Radio Club This year, the members of the Club have made considerable progress in a number of projects. These are mainly for the Schools' exhibition at the British Association meeting in Aberdeen at the end of August, and for parents' day. Also in prospect is a visit under the auspices of the Club to the Ferranti works in Edinburgh, to take place near the end of term.

I must again record our thanks especially to Mr. Murray, and also to Messrs.

Wilson and Baxter, who have given of their time and energy to keep the club going.

G. J. DORWARD

Hill- Walking Club This year as always, the Hill Walking Club had a very full programme for the short Spring Term and even shorter Summer Term. In January, February and March, we visited respectively, the Hill of Fare, Bennachie and Morven. These walks were well attended, and although the hills are small by Caimgorm standards, they provided excellent winter walking.

The Summer Term has four outings of a more ambitious nature. The first, in April, was to Glen Clova, where Mayar and Driesh were climbed. For the younger members, we intend to visit Glenmore in May and some of the wide selection of hills around this area will be climbed. The overnight walk, always a popular event, will take place over Beinn a Ghlo at the end of May. The final outing of the year is the long week-end which this year will take the form of a four-day stay at Glen Coe. The hills at Glen Coe are much steeper than

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magqine

the Cairngorms, and should provide a pleasing change from our usual haunts. The week-end is to be shared with a party from the Geography Department, which will regrettably limit the number of places available; but the week-end should provide a fitting climax to a successful year's cimbing.

Once again the Club is deeply indebted to Messrs. Will, Stephen and Hawksworth, without whose efforts it would not be the undoubted success which it is.

STUART P. HEPBURN, Upper VI

Chess Club At the Annual General Meeting which was held just before the Easter holidays, the following officials were elected : Honorary President, Mr. I. Galloway; President, Terence Cowling; Vice-President, Brian Morgan; Secretary and Treasurer, Ian Teller.

These will hold office for session 196 3-64.

In the competitive field, the Club has again had a fairly successful season.

Participating for the first time in the Sunday Times National Schools' Tournament, we reached the final of the Scottish zone, finally succumbing to Allen Glen's School of Glasgow, the previous winners of the Scottish Zone, by 4 games to z. Other results in this tournament were a win on age handicap by 41-3i against Wishaw High School and win by 6-o against Marr College, Troon in the semi-final. This latter match was played by telephone. In friendly matches within the city we met with mixed success, beating Gordon's College 13-z, drawing with the University 31-3i and losing to Bon-Accord Chess Club's second team by 5 games to 3. A simultaneous display was also given by Mr. A. G. Wilson, a leading player of the Bon-Accord Club.

Thanks are due to Mr. Galloway and Mr. J. Wilson for their interest and help in arranging matches, and to Dr. Wallace and Mr. Brown, who provided transport for the away match with Wishaw High School.

TERENCE COWLING, President

Aberdeen Schools Scientific Society The Scientific Society has worked through a varied and successful syllabus this session, and there is more to come.

Following our first two lectures on physics and natural history, we had an absorbing talk on conditioning by Dr. Antebi of the Ross Clinic. This lecture was followed by a selection of films. The next month Dr. Campbell of Edinburgh University gave a humorous and instructive talk entitled " Some Experiments in Chemistry ". The last two lectures, were of a related nature, the penultimate being a description of artificial earth satellites, and the final one a very interesting talk on cosmology by Colin Ronan, a well-known author and journalist.

Corresponding to last year's visit to the paper works, it has been arranged that in June this year members will have the choice of going to Sandilands Chemical Works or to an exhibition in the Anatomy Department, Marischal College.

I should like to convey my thanks to Mt. Bruce, whose watchful eye is always on the Society and to our fifth-year representative, Alistair Philip.

ERIC G. GRANT, School Representative

Music 1963 will be remembered as a year in which special prominence was given to the music of Benjamin Britten, and also as the year of the Regensburg Tour.

On 17 and 18 June, in St. Machat's Cathedral, our 3oth birthday tributes to the greatest contemporary British composer (he was born in 1913) will reach their

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climax in performance of his Missa Brevis and " St. Nicholas " Cantata. For the latter work, a very large chorus, drawn from most of the classes of Middle and Upper School will be used. The important Tenor Solo will be sung by former pupil David Haggart. Earlier this year, Mr. Cullen directed two performances of Britten's opera " The Little Sweep " at the Lower School Concert. We have been encouraged in our study of Britten's works by the receipt of a letter from the composer, thanking us for our greetings and wishing us well for the performances.

In a normal year, " St. Nicholas " would be sufficient to keep all the musicians of the school fully occupied, but even this major event will be somewhat overshadowed by the tour to Regensburg. At the beginning of July, a party of sixtyfour members of Choir and Orchestra, accompanied by thirteen adults, will set out on a musical pilgrimage to Aberdeen's sister city in Germany. Partly sight seeingtrip, partly music course, this holiday should prove an exciting and valuable experiment in fostering cultural ties between the two cities. Preparations have ranged from German Classes and Country Dancing to rehearsing the music to be performed in conjunction with pupils of the Oberrealschule of Regensburg, and it is felt that one of the most worthwhile aspects of the visit will be the mutual music making between children of both cities, both informally, but also culminating in a joint concert in Regensburg. Parents will be given an outline of the tout at a coffee morning on 25 May (at which Bach's " Coffee Cantata " will be performed). Thcy will also have a chance to hear the music being prepared for the tour at an informal recital in the school hall on 24 June.

Other musical events of the year included a Carol Service in Beechgrove Church, which proved very popular, and raised a substantial sum for the " Save the Children " Fund. The Friday Recitals again proved a very successful feature of the Spring Term, with audiences averaging about eighty, including a fair number of parents and friends whom we were very pleased to welcome.

I Iere is a list of the series : i i January Quartets by Haydn and Mozart t8 January Dvorak Sonatina, played by Alexander Wilson 25 January The First Year entertains 1 February Britten's " Abraham and Isaac ", sung by David Haggart (FP.) and Kerr Anderson.

8 February Keyboard Cavalcade (a symposium of piano music).

15 February Woodwind Serenade, devised by Mr. Spittle.

22 February Schubert's " Shepherd on the Rock " sung by Mrs. Stilwell (visiting artiste) with Alastair Mackenzie (clarinet). i March Mozart's D major Flute Quartet.

8 March Beethoven's Piano Sonata in C minor op rri, played by Mr. Hunter.

15 March Music by Monteverdi, devised by Mr. Cullen, and given by School Choir and Instrumental ensemble.

22 March Music in Miniature, by the Music Staff (including part of Schubert's " Trout " Quintet).

It would be impossible to list all the successes Grammar boys gained at this year's Music Festival, but mention must be made of Alastair Mackenzie's winning of the instrumental Challenge Cup for the second year running. Alastair has also been invited to broadcast at one of the B.B.C,s " Music Club " performances later this year.

We say goodbye this teim to several boys who have been of great service to the School music over the past few years. Ian Milne and Sandy Leiper go on to University and College to study music. Ian McNay, Stuart Hepburn, Kenneth Thomson, David Peters, David Taylor, Ian Stronach (our orchestra leader for the past year), and Sandy Hardie (off to Bristol) will all be missed, but we wish them all the best for the future.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Combined Cadet Force Army Section This session has seen the successful completion of the Part I and II Proficiency examinations by the Basic and Proficiency Squads respectively. In the former, Cadets Dorward, McPhie and Tyson all passed with Credits. In the latter, Cadets, Adams, Brown, Christie, Clark, Marr, Morrison, and Philip all passed and have been promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal, while L./Cpl. Downs has become a Corporal to assist on the" Q " side.

In March, C./Sgt. Forrest and Cpl. Raitt attended an N.C.O. Instructors course at the A.C.F. Centre at Schoolhill, Portlethen and Sgt. Dickson went on a visit to Sandhurst. During the Easter holidays ten Cadets, including C./Sgt. Coutts as Q.M., and C./Sgt. Forrest as Training N.C.O., with three Officers, carried out a week's programme of Arduous Training in the Cairngorms area, using Grantownon-Spey as a firm base.

The Annual Inspection is on Friday, 14 June and the Inspecting Officer is Air Vice-Marshall K. V. Garside, c.a., D.F.C., M.A., the Air Officer Commanding, Scotland.

Summer Camp will be held at Stromness, Orkney in the first week of the summer holidays and, although the first response has not been too encouraging, I feel sure that many will realise the great possibilities of such a camp and will not be slow in coming forward.

As is to be expected, the standard of discipline has risen during the past term, due to the fine efforts of the senior N.C.O.s; however, there is still room for improvement. There is a rather casual attitude on the part of many cadets. On this score, it is regretted that R.S.M. White, our patient drill instructor from the University O.T.C. will be leaving us at the end of the session and we should like to record our grateful thanks and extend to him our good wishes. We feel too, that sincere thanks is due to the O.C., City of Aberdeen Battery, R.A.(T.A.), Ruby Lane for all the generous help given this winter. No report would be complete without a reference to the wonderful service we receive from all our good friends at T. & A.F.A., 4 Rubislaw Terrace.

In conclusion, I must thank the N.C.O.s; who have all worked so conscientiously towards the running of the contingent. However, the bulk of our thanks must go to our Officers, without whose help and guidance we should often be at a loss. It is pleasing to see that and Lieut. Lawson and P.1O. Sutherland have firmly established themselves and we feel sure that they will be valuable assets to the Contingent.

Our heartfelt thanks must go to the " old hands " of the Contingent, Flt. Lts. McLeod, Brown and Capt. Galloway, whose hard work and excellent administration have helped to put this contingent on a par with the best. We wish them all continued success in the future.

J. D. ANDERSON, C.S.M.

R.A.F. Section This year has seen a number of third year additions to the Section's strength, who, it is hoped, will be able to sit their Proficiency Exam. in June.

At the last C.C.F. Exams, held in March, Cpl. Laing gained a credit pass in his Advanced Proficiency. while a ioo per cent pass was attained by the fourth year cadets sitting their Proficiency, Cdts. Leitch and Morrow obtaining distinguished passes and Cdts. Clark, Dickson and Jermieson credits.

There is only one promotion to record in the Section so far this year, that of Cpl. Laing to Sergeant.

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During the Easter holidays, W./O. Dorward and Sgt. Pixie successfully completed a gliding course at No. 662 Gliding School, while the Arduous Training was attended by Cpls. Kent, Marsh and Philip and Cadt. Clark, of the R.A.F. Section.

The position as regards summer courses is still somewhat fluid as this is written, but Cpls. Fowlie and Marsh, having passed their aptitude and medical tests for Flying Scholarships, may well have the opportunity to undergo their training this Summer Camp, which this year will be held at R.A.F. Aldergrove, Northern Ireland, promises to be extremely enjoyable, as tliNilairgiejLa very busy one, being a base for Coastal Command, the R.A.F. MeteorologicarFlight, and the Army Air Corps, besides being a Maintenance Unit. In addition it is taking an increasing amount of civil traffic as it succeeds Nutts Corner as the civil airport for Belfast.

The number wishing to attend summer camp is very high, so that virtually the whole Section will be making the trip across the Irish Sea. In conclusion, I must record our continued indebtedness to the officers who put in so much work on behalf of the section, Flt.Lts. McLeod and Brown, and P.1O. Sutherland.

G. J. DORWARD, V.O.

Pipes and Drums Members of both the piping and drumming section of the band have been practising, with not a little enthusiasm, for our ever-increasing list of engagements in the latter part of the Summer Term. Although the piping section will not be as large as had been hoped, there is an excess of young and proficient drummers who will competently fill any vacancies left in the band next year.

Both Mr. Whyte and Mr. Simpson, our piping and drumming instructors respectively, must be thanked for their hard work without which the band would not exist. We are also indebted to Mr. McLeod for his efficiency in handling the organisation and administration of the band.

HARRY MILLER, Drum Major

The Deeside Field Club This term's excursion promises to be an interesting one. The first part of the outing will be to Midmar Castle, one of the gems of castellated architecture in Aberdeenshire. Later at Midmar Church, a short account will be given of the main archaeological and historical features of the area, special mention being made of the evidence of continuous settlement since prehistoric times.

Mr. Davidson, headmaster of Torphins School, will talk on the Battle of Corrichie, one of the incidents of the troubled times during the Scottish Reformation. Natural History in the area will be dealt with by Emeritus Professor K. W. Braid, O.B.E., who so ably assisted at the last excursion.

ERIC GRANT, School Representative

too

Aberdeen Grammar School Alasaine

House Notes Byron

The following officials were elected at the beginning of this term : Cricket Captain, Robin A. Craig ; Vice-Captain, Dennis A. Britt ; Athletics Captain, Robin A. Craig ; Vice-Captain, Dennis A. Britt.

The Winter Term saw the House compete with mixed fortunes. While the House probably deservailiallek all three matches, it yet made hard work of doing so.

Although we fared badly in the Hockey Cup we have to offer congratulations to George Sommerville on his selection for the Scottish Schoolboy's team.

We were again runners-up in the Gala.

The prospects for this term are bright. A good cricket team will ensure the House is to the fore and our athletes, throughout the School, will no doubt give a good account of themselves.

As always we arc indebted to Mr. Baxter and his assistants for their work in the running of the House.

ROBIN A. CRAIG, House Captain

Dun

Officials elected this term were : Athletics Captain, James A. Banks ; ViceCaptain, Victor Robertson ; Cricket Captain, William Lamb ; Vice-Captain, Peter G. Stephen.

Unfortunately the Winter Term this year did not bring any glory to the House.

In rugby, despite a gallant effort by a rather inexperienced team, we had to be satisfied with " the wooden spoon ".

Support for the House swimming team, especially amongst senior boys, was rather poor and as a result we shaped rather badly in the gala.

Fortunately our hockey boys were more successful and deservedly finished runners up to a strong Melvin team.

Prospects for the Summer Term do not look bright, especially in the cricket field where we can but hope for the best.

I hope the House will be well supported in the Annual Sports, and that we will fare better than in recent years.

We arc once more deeply indebted to Mr. McLeod for his assistance in House activities and would like to express our sincere thanks to him.

JAMES A. BANKS, Muse Captain Keith

The following officials were elected at the start of this term : Cricket Captain, J. W. Hadden ; Vice-Captain, G. Dorward ; Athletics Captain, L. McKay ; ViceCaptain, J. W. Hadden.

During the session, our House has occupied penultimate position in both the rugby and swimming competitions.

The hockey team, however, were a close second to Melvin. As for this term the House can look forward quite confidently to a most successful run in both cricket and athletics.

Once again we are deeply indebted to Mr. Wilson and Mr. Stephen who have done much to help the House.

JOHN W. HADDEN, House Captain

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School Section

Melvin At the beginning of the Summer Tcrm the following officials were elected : Captain, Cricket Captain, Douglas Fowlie ; Vice-Captain, Alan Stephen ; Athletics Thomas Chasscr ; Vice-Captain, Douglas Fowlie.

On the whole we had quite a successful winter season. In the rugby competition we finished runners up ; beating Dun a4 Keith we were, perhaps, unlucky to lose to Byron. We won the hockey chamonship in spite of lack of players and a formidable opposition. In the swimming gala the House went into the lead from the very beginning and kept this up till the end. Our congratulations are due to our captain, John Wright, who retained the Rector's Cup. The outstanding performer in the Lower School events was R. Mann.

Prospects for the Summer Term arc quite good, as the House cricket team should be able to retain the cricket cup and we are hoping to do better in the Annual Sports than in previous years.

Finally I would like to thank our Housemaster, Mr. Brown, and his assistants for their help and advice in running the House.

TARIQ BHATTI, House Captain

Scout Notes 1st Group G.S.M. (acting) 1. G. S. MacGregor, 56 Union Grove, Tel. No. 51518.

Robert Falconer, 13 Devonshire Road, Tel. No. 27561.

C.M. Hunter Cairns, 414 Gt. Western Road, Tel. No. 36321.

A. S.M. I. G. S. MacGregor, 56 Union Grove, Tel. No. 51518.

R.S.I..

Pack Notes The Winter Season has been occupied with rather more indoor pursuits than last session. A result of this is a spurt on the passing of " star " tests, with a commendable number of boys gaining these badges of general proficiency.

With the going-up of our most senior boys to the troop, just after Christmas, it was possible to re-unite the Pack as a single unit. Another factor in this has been the arrival of Cub Instructors—Judy Carry, Lorna Troup, Martyn Batchelor, Alan Stewart and Hugh Munro. All of these excellent people have been working hard for their qualifications; however, at the time of writing, the busiest time lies ahead, for our usual vigorous summer term is just opening. Attractions are four trips to Clinterty, a Sixer's Day at Templars' Park, The " Western Trail " evening in Victoria Park; the Cub Sports, and, of course, the annual camp, to be held this year from 17 to 20 July at Clinterty.

Bob-a-Job week seems to have been the great success we arc coming to expect, with quite remarkable quantities of money coming in. The Ferryhill area, especially, must have been almost bankrupted!

The great burden of the background running of the Pack has fallen, once more, can on my invaluable assistants Eva Slessor and Alasdair Lawrance ; the Pack into gone has two, these from preparation and planning much how realise never our meetings this session. Since the Camp will mark the end of my career as Akela of the ist I must dose by wishing my successor, and the Pack, good hunting unfailing support. in the future, and by thanking the Group Committee for their ROBERT FALCONER, Cub/master

102

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine Troop Notes

At the beginning of the year, the Troop was re-shuffled to make room for more boys. Hugh Munro, Douglas Stewart, Robert Taylor, and Harry Massie, resigned their responsibilities as N.L. which they had carried magnificently for over a year, and we continued the experiment with the Senior Patrol, Doug. Stewart being P.I..

Harry Millar, the remaining P.L. was promoted to T.L. and Seconds Alan Stewart, Michael Colvin, Roddy McDonald, Halsey Bradford and David Smith took over the leadership of the Patrols.

There was a " going up " ceremony soon after this, when four Cubs joined the Troop, and quickly settled down to learning the Scouting skills.

The winter programme progressed much as usual, Alan Stewart and Hugh Munro gained their Queen's Scout Badges, and Hugh the Duke of Edinburgh's Silver Award—a very creditable performance. At the beginning of March the Troop Open-night was held, when parents and friends come along to see some of the past years activities on film, and a programme of games by the boys. The inspection was taken by Mr. W. S. Chesser, Assistant County Commissioner (Training).

Easter Camp was upon us almost before we knew it, a week earlier this year, but in spite of some hurried alterations to the dates, we had over forty " bodies " at Clinterty including the Senior Patrol.

The week's programme comprised hikes, badge work, pioneering, wide games, tree planting, repairs and improvements to the property, and the whole culminated in a competition between the older boys on a "Commando Course", rigged up round the perimeter of the Camp site. This had been well and truly " booby trapped " in advance, and when the mud and water had settled, about half a dozen sodden and bedraggled creatures repaired to the bunkhouse where they had to wash from top to— all over— in pails of ice-cold water.

Those who remember the old " Bomber " fire will perhaps be interested to know that we have installed a similar fire (not quite so potent), in the new Hut. This added greatly to the comfort and community spirit of the camp, in a week when the weather could have been a lot kinder.

This being the 1st Groups' fund raising year, we have already started holding functions of various sorts to make us much money as possible before the Fair in the Music Hall on zz October. The money earned is to be spent on further improvements to the Group H.Q. in Forest Avenue Lane, which were begun in 1961. These will provide more accommodation, and bring the Hall up to date with the current requirements of the Sanitary Department etc.

Assistance in this mammoth undertaking from " Old boys " and friends of the Group will be most welcome, and greatly appreciated.

The Summer Camp site has been booked at Auchintoul in Glen Esk, and we look forward to a very happy two weeks there at the beginning of July.

Following this a party of eight older boys and myself arc going to Greece to visit the 11th World Jamboree, where two boys from the 1st Troop are to be in the Scottish contingent.

This will, 1 hope, be a magnificent end to another excellent session's Scouting.

A. HUNTER CAIRNS, S.M. Crew Notes The Crew membership is now seventeen, another Squire having joined us since the last issue of the Magalzine. We also hope to have some of the Senior Patrol joining our ranks after summer.

Over New Year, many of the Crew enjoyed the now traditional long week-end in the hills. Our " base " was, for the second year running, at Glen Doll Youth Hostel.

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During the Spring Term, the activities of the Crew have been rather curtailed, owing to examinations, but we have managed to carry out quite an interesting programme. This has included a visit to the B.B.C. in Beechgrove Terrace and a very informative lecture on Mountain Rescue, from the Officer-in-Command of the Leuchars Mountain Rescue Team.

Looking forward to the summer, we hope to attend the North of Scotland, and Scottish Rover Moots, which arc to be held in June ; and to enter a team for the Scottish Rover Challenge Ilike. As our team came in second last year, we have strong hopes of a win this time. The Crcw will also be well represented at the World Jamboree, to be held this year in Greece.

ALASDAIR MACLEOD, See.

9th Group GSM. C.M. S.M.

Dr. Peter Mitchell, z Pinewood Road, Tel. No. 35428.

Miss Sheila Mackie, 17 1-Iilton Street, Tel. No. 45011.

Kennedy Thomson, et a Gt. Western Road, Tel. No. 20945.

Another Camp " Afloat" Since December the Troop has been concentrating on preparations for Summer Camp 1963. This is to be a repeat of a very successful one held in 1955 at Plockton where we hired a fishing boat for the fortnight. This was used to transport the Troop around the area—to various islands and points along the Coast—leaving the Patrols to find their own way back where possible.

At new year some of the Scouters and P.L.s spent five days near Braemar skiing.

This was something new to most of the people there and they all enjoyed themselves greatly.

We must congratulate I. Reid and Alan Kennaway on gaining their ist Class Badges. Alan has now left us to work in Wolverhampton for a year, we wish him the best of luck.

M. Carry has been promoted P.L. of the Eagles in place of Alan. J. Colvin is now P.L. of the Wolves, having taken over from Pete Collier.

The Cubs are still under the able leadership of Miss Mackie and her assistants J. Murray and J. Glcndinning. To these three we in the Troop are greatly indebted. The standard of Cubs we get up to the Troop is very good. Without the help of these three it would be very difficult to keep the Troop up to strength.

17th Group G.S.M. F. R. Paterson, 26 Osborne Place, Tel. No. 51013.

Miss Joyce Park, 270 Union Grove.

C.M. John K. Blair, 8 Pitstruan Place.

S.M. Pack Notes It was with deep regeret that the Pack said a fond farewell to their C.M. Miss Alice Merson at their open-night at the end of March. After io4 years of devoted service Cupid has intervened and Scouting is that bit poorer as the result. Words cannot describe our feelings at such a loss nor convey our thanks for the time, energy and love that she put into her work with the boys. To Miss Merson we once again say a humble thank you and wish her every success and happiness in the years to come.

While we bemoan the loss of one Akcla we are very fortunate and delighted to be able to say an immediate hello to another, Miss Joyce Park who, for the last six years has been assistant to Miss Mcrson, has taken over the reins and we arc

104

Aberdeen Grammar School Afasaine

therefore ensured of still having a first class Pack. To Miss Park we offer a hearty welcome and thank her for taking on the exhausting, unenviable and yet rewarding task of Akela.

In January two Cubs went up to the Troop. They were Nicholas Illsley and Andrew Cook.

Stephen Inglis and John Easton have been promoted to sixers and John Muir and Michael Dorward are the new seconds.

Troop Notes Twenty boys camped under canvas at Easter at Kingswells ; while the weather could have been better an extremely enjoyable time was had by all. During the Sunday evenings Cubs, their parents and the parents of boys in camp were invited to a camp tire which was a great success despite the cold wind.

Summer camp this year is being held approximately 5 miles from Huntly.

Although later in the summer holidays it is expv-Lted that a good proportion of the Troop will attend.

After last year's strenuous fund-raising efforts this year appears to be rather quiet and uninteresting.

J. BLAIR, S.M.

Lower School My initial sentence to Lower School notes from May 1962 appears to be appropriate for May 1963 too : " Dreich, overcast skies, atmosphere decidedly chill . . . " only more so! A dilatory Secretary of State for Scotland and erudite Town Councillors this year have efficiently contrived to make this a memorably depressing spring in more than the weather for all who hold the Lower School in fond regard and in particular for the staff of our department. Uncertainty of what the future holds breeds doubt and anxiety, and living in such a state we find unpleasant.

Staff In January we welcomed to our staff Miss Rose 1. Matheson and Mr. J. Fergus C. Davidson to fill the two vacancies in Primary IV B and Primary V A respectively.

It gladdened my heart to obtain the services of two such energetic, experienced and friendly young people, but in the case of Mr. Davidson, my feeling of elation has been short lived, for I am led to believe that he is soon to be translated from our mundane sphere to the rarified atmosphere of the Aberdeen Training College to become the first lecturer there in Audio-Visual Aids—a matter for very hearty congratulation. Having administered this bitter pill, those three scheming Fatae up aloft, deftly and unexpectedly produced one more unpalatable potion for the Lower School Master to swallow. Mr. Henry F. Lawson last week was appointed to be headmaster of Shawhead Primary School, Kirkcudbright. For six years Mr. Lawson has served this school as only the born teacher can. The affectionate and understanding regard in which he has held all his pupils has been reciprocated by them for him, and it has been a matter of great satisfaction to me that so many parents have expressed their awareness of the sterling qualities of this young man and have fully appreciated the value of his influence on their sons. For umpiring and coaching in cricket, for cycling proficiency training, for work well and cheerfully done, for level-headedness and friendship and above all for the full measure of his love for the School and his loyalty, mere thanks is really not nearly enough. We are losing an exceptional master-- but think what a grand headmaster in his country school he will be. Best wishes from all of us to you and yours Mr. Lawson on your promotion. Happiness you will have because you know how to live with other people.

School Section

105

Of a previous member of staff I am happy to report that on Easter Sunday there was born to Mrs. Heather Smith and her doctor husband a fine 8 lb. son— Colin Alexander.

Then to Mrs. Booth our Art Mistress for this past session we have regretfully to say goodbye for she will be returning very soon to Australia. The variety, scope, quality and interest of the work which she has accomplished with our boys in one short session is tribute indeed to a very talented, inspired and energetic young teacher with whom it has been a pleasure for all of us to live and work.

Mrs. Booth's successor, Miss Harper, we welcome to the staff and trust that her life with us in School will be happy and satisfying.

Sports Activities For games, the spring term can be described as nothing short of disastrous for Rubislaw was fit for play on only two Fridays of it. Rugby practice for the Primary VIIs amounted to nil. Two soccer matches, both of which were lost, were played by our 1st XI against Fraserburgh Central School (scores o-3 and 1-8). The and XI, however, fared better winning one of their matches 3-o and drawing the second.

The Swimming Gala on ra March went with a swing and as usual was well supported

by Lower School boys. The winner of the Lower School Swimming Medal was Robert A. M. Mann (Melvin) of Primary VILA and the runner-up Kenneth T. Imrie (Keith) of Primary VI1B. The number of 3O-yard Swimming Certificates awarded this session was thirteen. In cricket this term sixteen matches have been arranged and of the six played five have been won and one lost. As it has connection with sport and physical well-being I should mention here that once again our Primary VI and VII classes have been taking the road to the hills—Bennachie, the Hill O' Fare and Cloth-na Ben—a sufficient introduction to whet the appetite for more of this pleasant, healthgiving pastime in days to come.

On the evenings of Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday the school hall was packed to capacity for the Lower School Concert and I'm sure that those who attended remember the whole performance with pleasure. The enjoyment of Benjamin Britten's opera " The Little Sweep " in the second half, was heightened by the active participation of the audience in their songs aided by small groups of choir boys, and owed much to the expert baton of the conductor encouraging and controlling their vocal efforts. Personally I find much of Britten's music difficult to appreciate but even to my uncultured car the cadences of the bird songs were most startlingly realistic and beautiful in their effect and well exemplified the touch of the musical genius. " The Little Sweep " was quite a formidable undertaking and great praise is due to Mr. Cullen the conductor, to Miss Dolby the producer, to Miss Marion Fordyce and Mrs. Patricia Stillwell our admirable singing " Housekeeper " and " Nursemaid " and to all members of the cast who worked together so hard to achieve such a splendid final result—not forgetting " Sammy " of course!

At the Music Festival the Junior Section of the Lower School Choir won and retained the silver trophy in their class for the second time, and the Senior Section was placed second in theirs. The Senior Section of the Choir also took part in the Primary School Assemblies of Choirs held in the Cowdray Hall in May—a very happy non-competitive gathering. On the side of dramatic art, members from five of our classes gave performances of plays and puppet plays written or adapted by themselves, at the Festival of the Spoken Word and were commended by the adjudicator for the quality of their speech and the originality of their work.

I made mention last December of impending Cycling Proficiency Tests consequent upon a course of training given by Mt. Lawson. Fourteen boys out of the group of fifteen who sat the test, were awarded certificates and badges. Another group of forty-two will snon he ready for testing after a rather intensive course over the past few weeks.

r o6

Aberdeen Grammar School Alagaine Horticulture

For the first time this year all our classes planted bulbs with a view to entering them for the Spring Show of the Royal Horticultural Society and of the six pots which survived the winter and were entered, four were awarded prizes—one ist, one znd and two 3rd.

Publicity has recently been given in the local press to the teaching of French in Primary schools. The fact that Spanish is being taught in our Primary VA I think has not been mentioned. This is an interesting experiment lending itself to a tie-up with Geography and project work and will be continued with this class as it moves up the Lower School. At our Parents' Day on the 12 June parents will be able to hear a recording of their sons taking part in their Spanish lesson. Besides enjoying the display of Lower School Art, Handwork and Puppetry at the Parents' Day exhibition 1 hope that parents will pay particular attention to the samples of the new type of handwriting being practised at all stages, which I think all will agree is more satisfactory than the cursive form we used in the past.

Like most other schools in the city, we did and arc still doing our part for the Freedom from Hunger Campaign and, in the short initial period of collecting, raised the sum of £44 zs. 2d. which was duly handed over by our head Monitor, Alan McLeod, to the Lord and Lady Provost. Next term we intend to run a dance for Lower School parents as a means of raising further funds for the campaign and hope that this will be well supported.

In summer, for thirty-two of our Primary VII boys we are running a school holiday camp at Rhynie during the third week of July, so we are hoping that this new venture may be blessed with sunshine.

Work as ever goes on apace in our School, some traditional, some experimental and none of it unduly channelled towards an 1 i + goal but all bearing the hallmark of competent individual members of staff. Each has something different in background knowledge to convey to his pupils by virtue of personality and approach— all may be different, except in so far as basics are concerned, but all valuable. This session one of the open bursaries was awarded to Brian T. Jones of Primary VIIB and two presentation bursaries came to the School, one for Ronald M. Bartlett of matter for Primary VII A the other for Marshall H. Byres of Primary great satisfaction, pride and joy for the boys themselves, their parents and the school.

J. D. M.

*

*

School Holidays School Commences

Autumn Holiday Mid-Term Holiday Christmas and New Year Vacation Easter Vacation Spring Holiday Session ends

Thursday, 5 September 1963 (the opening after the holidays being delayed in connection with the holding of the British Association Meeting in Aberdeen).

Monday, 23 September 1963.

Friday, 1 November 1963.

Wednesday, z5 December 1963 to Friday, 3 January 1964 (both dates inclusive).

Friday, 27 March 1964 to Friday, to April 1964 (both dates inclusive, being a period which includes Good Friday).

Monday, zo April 1964.

Friday, 3 July 1964.

Rugby 1st XV, 1962-63

Bath Row—Mr. A. L. Stevenson, T. M. Chasser, K. J. Thomson, G. K. M. Murray, D. J. Stewart, D. G. Fowlie, W. G. Downs, D. A. Moir, Mr. F. R. Paterson.

Front Row—G. J. Dorward, M. C. Christie, J. W. Hadden, J. A. Banks, R. A. Craig (Capt.), D. A. Britt, A. F. Philip, A. A. Stephen, I. R. Cormack. .Absent—D. W. Smith.

Senior Athletics Team, 1962

Back Row (left to right)—Mr. A. L. Stevenson, J. A. Banks, M. C. Christie, D. W. T. Paul, G. W. Fraser, J. G. Andrews, B. T. Mitchell, D. G. Fowlie, M. T. Stone, V. Robertson, Mr. G. Mortimer.

Front Row—D. J. F. Robertson, D. C. Leslie, K. G. Edward, A. J. Leach (Capt.), R. A. Craig, F. N. McKenzie, M. Smith.

Cricket 1st XI, 1962

~ Bark Row (left to right)—Mr. A. L. Stevenson, I. M. Richardson, G. W. Fraser, J. G. Andrews, R. S. Smith, C. M. G. Corrnack (Scorer), Mr. F. R. Paterson.

Front Row—F. K. SYLawson, J. W. Hadden, J. H. Gauld, F. N. McKenzie (Capt.), G. F. Webster, R. A. Craig, I. R. Wright.

" Evening Express " Trophy Team Winners 1961 and 1962

K. G. Edward, A. J. Leach (Capt.), D. W. T. Paul, F. N. McKenzie.

School Seciion

113

Once again the School owes its thanks to the members of staff who give of their time and energy in travelling with teams, and in refereeing at Rubislaw: and especially to the Physical Education Staff without whose efforts the successes of recent years would not have been possible. To Mr. Mathew, our groundsman, we also offer our thanks for services rendered.

House Rugby Senior House Trophy—Byron House Middle School Trophy—Dun House Paisley Grammar School Seven-a-side Tournament On our first visit to the Tournament last year we won the trophy. This season, with only two of these players still at School it was hardly expected that this performance would be repeated. Indeed it was not repeated—but only just! As in the XV a-side game the Seven rose to the occasion. Though not so polished nor so skilful as last year's representatives they set to work with a will, and by dour determination and with a stout heart (and a bit of luck) they disposed of Allan Glen's School, Glasgow High School and a strong Royal High School team to reach the final. Having exhausted themselves in the tie with Royal High they fell comparatively easily to a good Heriots seven. Once again we offer our congratulations to those who took part—Craig, Banks, Haddon, Britt, Christie, Stephen and Smith-for a very fine effort.

Boroughmuir } Boroughmuir Ayr Acad.

Hillhead H.S. George Heriots } Heriots

eorge Heriots 'George Heriots

1

.

George Heriots Morrison's Acad. } Dollar Acad.

Dollar Acad.

Paisley G.S. Kelvinside Acad} Kelvinside Acad. Kelvinside Acad.

George DunfermllneH.S.} Dunfermline H.S. Heriots Keil School Hamilton Acad.

Hutchesons' G.S} Hutchesons' G. } Royal H.S. Hawlck H.S. } Royal H.S. I. Aberdeen G.S. Royal H.S. Glasgow H.S. } Glasgow H.S. Aberdeen G.S. Glasgow Acad.

Aberdeen G.S. } Aberdeen G.S. Allan Glens

,

J

Hockey This has been a most frustrating season in more ways than one. Firstly, the weather was probably the worst in the history of School hockey and, during December, January and February it was impossible to play any hockey in Aberdeen except occasionally at the Links. Secondly, it seemed to be the fate of the 1st XI to lose their matches by the odd goal. Individually the School played hockey of a reasonably high standard but seldom knitted together as a team. This is especially true of the forwards, who have to shoulder most of the blame for matches lost.

The defence played very soundly, and Forrest, Campbell and Urquhart were outstanding in their department. In a disappointing forward line only McDougall and Sommerville came up to expectations. Congratulations are due to Campbell, Lamb, McDougall and Sommerville, who reached the final Scottish Schools Trial in Edinburgh. We were delighted to hear that George Sommerville had been capped, thus maintaining the School record of having had a representative in the Scottish School side in every year since the inception of International matches in 1935. He played against England and Ireland in the quadrangular tournament

11

4

Aberdeen Grammar School Magatine

which took place in Wales this year, the match vs. Wales being rained off. Despite all the frustrations of the season a fine spirit permeated the side under the meticulous and inspiring captaincy of Neil Forrest.

Regular Team. Mann, Forrest, Lamb, Campbell, Cowie, Urquhart, Rennie, Bhatti, Anderson, McDougall, Sommerville.

Colours Awards.

Full Colours: Bhatti, Forrest, 1962-63; Campbell, McDougall, Sommerville, Urquhart, 1963.

Half Colours: Cowie, Lamb, Mann, 1963.

Results L F A D P W 22 8 16 31 4 4 Leading goalscorers: Sommerville, 8; Bhatti, 5.

Scorers Results 2-t Scott, Sommerville 15 Sept. v. Aberdeen 22 „ v. F.P.s " A " 0-4 0-5 29 „ v. Ruthrieston Ramblers o-o 6 Oct. v. Grove Acad. at Dundee 2-3 Sommerville, Rennie t 3 „ v. Gordonians " A " 3-1 Bhatti 2, Scott 17 „ v. Varsity " A " t-t Scott 20 „ v. Morgan Acad. at Dundee 3-o Sommerville, Bhatti 2 3 Nov. v. Gordon's College 1-4 Sommerville „ v. F.P.s 22 1 Dec. v. Grove Acad. at Rubislaw 4-0 Sommerville 2, Rennie, Anderson 1-3 Sommerville 8 „ v. Ruthrieston Ramblers 0-1 2 Mar. v. F.P.s " A " 0-2 16 „ v. Fettes College at Rubislaw 2-3 Bhatti, Sommerville 23 „ v. Abbey School at Rubislaw t-s Anderson 3o „ v. Gordonians 2-2 Anderson 2 4 April v. Loretto at Rubislaw and XI • This team did not, at any time, measure up to the usual Grammar School standards in either play or manners. Mackie, as captain, had a very difficult job controlling all the " would be " captains in the team. There was enthusiasm in plenty but most of it was misdirected. I hope that the players in this team will, before they join a senior dub, learn to subordinate self for the good of the team. There were of course exceptions to the above criticism, and among the more promising players were Mackie, Brown, Cobb and Peters.

Record W D P L F A 12 2 1 14 32 9 Regular Team. Mackie, Phillips, Dickson, Brown, Cobb, Cairns, Munro, Taylor, Cormack, Abel and Peters.

3rd XI This developed into a splendid team in every way. Under the wise leadership of Graham Cale the spirit and the play of the team was a revelation to some of the more senior opposition with which they had to cope. It is on this team that the future of School hockey rests and I hope that they will continue to learn and to

i

I

School Section

xx5

work hard at the game. All the players in this team awere promising but perhaps Clark, Wilson, McLaughlin and Leiper were the brightest hopes for the future.

Record P 12

School Opposition 8

W 6

L 5

D I

F

A

2I

20

I 18 10 2 5 Regular Team. Hay, Knight, Cask, Caie, McBain, Wilson, Hughes, Leiper, McLaughlan, Adams, Macfarlane, Salter and Gray.

Colts. This team has suffered greatly from lack of practice but in their last game of the season at 4-3 victory over senior opposition in Academy " A " was very encouraging for the future. Kenneth Hay was a splendid captain and let's hope that he is following in the footsteps of his brother Denis, who has been made reserve half back for the Scottish International side. Promising players were Bhatti, I lay and Gray.

Record D W L F A P 22 I 10 4 5 34 Regular Team. Cameron, Stuart, Ryan, Arthur, Bhatti, Morrice, Hendry, Hay, Gray, McCraw, Youngson and Cook.

House Hockey. The House Trophy was contested furiously and a very exciting game between Melvin and Keith decided the destination of the cup in favour of Melvin. Keith seemed to have the stronger side but just could not score against a solid Melvin defence. It is good to see the enthusiasm with which the • House matches arc being contested.

Again, our thanks arc due to the many masters, who give so freely of their time and energy to make Hockey a going concern in the School. Especially we include Dr. Sandy limes and Gordon Spate, who assisted on Wednesdays and Saturdays with coaching, and Alistair Soppitt for his umpiring.

It was with deep regret that we heard of the death of two ex-School Hockey stalwarts in David Wood and Michael Carson who both died as a result of very similar road accidents. It is a tragedy to have these fine lads lose their lives in the prime of life. Our heartfelt sympathy goes to the parents in their sad loss.

R. McNAr Outstanding Matches 2 March, at Links v. F.P.s " A ".

0-1 A strong F.P.s side, with many familiar faces, were surprised by a sprightly School side. Playing excellent combined hockey they worried the F.P.s defence considerably in the early stages and should have taken an early lead. Easy chances were missed by Bhatti and Rennie. F.P.s were weak in the forward line and made little impression on a strong School defence. Half-time was reached with no scoring. F.P.s opened with more determination in the second half but could find no loophole in a School defence in which young reserve Clark was outstanding.

Peter Mann was performing some heroics in goal and it seemed that a draw would be a fair result. School had resumed the initiative and missed scoring by inches in a Bhatti thrust. Then, with only 5 minutes remaining, an F.P. cross which was nowhere near the goal was deflected by a School defender into the net. This was a scurvy trick for fate to play on a hard fighting School side, who gave one of their best displays of the season. F.P.s " A " were a disappointing side and, it was only after David Ness changed from forward to defence, that they seemed to be in command. It was as usual a sporting and most enjoyable contest to umpire.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magatine

16 March v. Abbey School at Rubislaw. 2-3 This proved to be a rather tough and rough encounter with too much body checking and indiscriminate hitting. School opened strongly and missed several chances against a shaky Abbey defence. When Abbey settled, it was their fast wingers who proved menacing and the School defence did well to contain them.

Sommerville was dangerous for School at centre but lacked support. Near halftime Abbey scored twice to shock the School. Their goals were the result of defensive errors and indecision by both backs. At half-time O-2 was a little unkind to School. Early in the second half it appeared as if Abbey would sweep the School into Seafield Road but they survived due to some luck and stout defensive work by Forrest and Mann. Suddenly, in a break away, Sommerville scored an excellent goal after slack Abbey defensive work. This spurred School to greater things and with some fighting hockey they deservedly equalised through McDougall.

At this time Abbey had been completely demoralised by the turn of events but persistent offside by School forwards spoiled their efforts. In the last minute Abbey broke clear and a wonderful goal from their right winger gave Abbey a belated victory. It was not a game to remember but Abbey just deserved victory.

Socially the game was its usual success and we look forward to the innovation of a double fixture in future years.

Thursday, 4 April at Rubislaw v. Loretto. 2-2.

This was an innovation to our fixture list and we were delighted to welcome this Edinburgh side to Aberdeen for their first ever hockey fixture in the North of Scotland. The game opened at a fast pace and end to end play saw School miss several chances to take the lead through indecision in the circle. When Loretto settled their right wing proved to be very dangerous and some lovely crosses from their right winger went abegging. During this period of Loretto ascendancy Mann had some splendid saves. School forwards were playing some neat hockey but without any punch. Half-time was reached with no score. Immediately after the resumption School took the lead with a lovely Anderson shot from the edge of the circle. This spurred Loretto to stray attacks but despite weakness on the School left flank they survived this pressure.

Then with 13 minutes remaining two quick goals saw Loretto take the lead and School seemed to be fading against the physically stronger Loretto side. However, a last effort saw Anderson scramble an equalising goal in a goalmouth melee in the dosing minutes. School just deserved to draw but the fact that both sides were three players understrength did affect the quality of play. There was too much obstruction from both sides and indiscriminate hitting tended to make play scrappy.

Despite this, play was exciting and it was, we hope, the first of regular fixtures with our friends from Loretto. Outstanding for School were Mann, Campbell and McDougall.

R. McNAY

Badminton Club The Monday and Thursday meetings continued to be well attended and great progress was shown by all players. This progress was shown in our own tournament which was won by John Hadden.

The annual match against the staff resulted in a defeat for the pupils but an enjoyable evening was had by everyone.

In the match against the High School it was decided to play mixed doubles and the boys were commended for their exceptional play.

The members of the Badminton Club wish to thank all persons who contributed towards the success of the Club.

TOM CHASSER, Captain

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In our extension, we have opened the finest Golf Showroom in the North of Scotland. Please call and see our extensive range of Woods, Irons, Bags, Caddy Cars, Umbrellas, etc.

We are also showing the latest in Golf Clubs, Nylon-Headed " Woods ".

kta

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Grammar F.P. Rugby and Hockey Outfits always in stock.

Badminton, Squash and Tennis Repairs and Restrings, 24 Hour Service.

All other Repairs given prompt attention, OPEN ON SATURDAYS UNTIL 6.30 P.M. 'Phone 21094 117

i i8

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Swimming Notes This session the activities of the Swimming Club continued very much as usual.

Membership was similar to that in previous years, with the majority of members coming from the Middle School. The Life Saving section was very successful and the following awards were obtained: 9 Intermediate Certificates, 5 Bronze Medallions, 4 Bronze Crosses, 7 Awards of Merit. Three senior boys gained Scholar Instructors Certificates. The Swimming Club looks forward to the new session in the School's own pool, which should undoubtedly raise the standard of swimming and enable School teams to compete confidently against others.

DOUGLAS FOWLIE Ski Club As the ski-ing year draws to a close, we can look back with satisfaction on a successful season. Our ski hire system is flourishing, with the five pairs of skis in constant use. The Club bank account shows a favourable balance, and we hope to see it augmented next year if the Education Committee decide to help us by a grant.

At the General Meeting, the following boys were re-elected: President, M. Burns; Vice-President, A. Thomson; Secretary, H. Gudim.

We wish to express thanks to Mr. J. Wilson, The Rector, Mr. Stevenson and to the Aberdeen Ski Club.

A. HAROLD GUDIM, Secretary Who's Who in the zst XV R. A. Craig. 6 ft. it st. 9 lb. Centre threcquarter. Captain. An excellent player and a good captain who made things " happen " when he got the ball.

Sometimes he tried to do too much on his own but had a hand in most of the scores.

His goal kicking was superb. A fast, strong and elusive runner, his defence was sound. First Grammar boy to be selected for the London Scottish Schoolboys XV. Fully deserved award of a Cap. J. A. Banks. 5 ft. to in. i t st. to lb. Wing forward. Vice-Captain. A tireless worker he was always on the ball. Good positional sense. His up and under kicks were always dangerous. An excellent member of any side, his cheerful disposition and first-class play will be sadly missed next season. Fully merited award of a Cap. D. A. Britt. 5 ft. to in. 11 st. 4 lb. Wing forward. A member of a very good back row he was perhaps at his best when the ball was on the ground.

Although his hefty kicking saved many an awkward situation his defence occasionally left something to be desired. Deserved full-colours.

T. M. Chasser. 5 ft. to in. to st. 6 lb. Wing threequarter. An elusive rather than a powerful runner he lost his place through inconsistent form. His defence was very sound and perhaps inexperience led to his mistakes and consequent exit from the team before Christmas.

M. C. Christie. 5 ft. lo in. 1 1 st. 5 lb. Centre threequarters. Extremely fit, he was able to make up for what he lacked in pace with determined running. At times his handling was slack and as a result the mobility of the threequarters was hindered. Perhaps wing-forward is his proper position. Awarded full-colours.

I. R. Cormack. 5 ft. 9 in. to st. Full-back. A neat and tidy player, he came into the side just before Christmas. He saved the side on more than a few occasions with timely tackles and safe kicking. His performances improved with every game.

School Section

119

G. J. Dorward. 5 ft. 7 in. to st. 6 lb. Wing-forward. Although reserve throughout the season he played in half the games. A decisive tackler he was always to the fore. He was unlucky, perhaps, not to gain a regular place in the side.

W. G. Downs. 5 ft. 5 1 in. II st. Wing threequarter. A courageous and determined runncr he started the season at full back and was later moved to the wing.

His defence was sound and his kicking at times impressive. Will be a valuable asset to next year's team. Awarded half-colours.

D. G. Fowlie. 6 ft. a in. ti st. 91b. Stand-off half. A basically sound player, he made mistakes due to his lack of confidence in himself. His tactical kicking improved with every game and he occasionally caught the eye with neat breaks.

Awarded half-colours.

J. W. Hadden. 6 ft. II st. 5 lb. Scrum-half. Converted to this position from wing threequarter at the start of the season, his long service set the line moving well. A clever player with both hands and feet, his touch kicking relieved pressure on many occasions. His defence was weak at times. Awarded full-colours.

D. 'A. Moir. 5 ft. 6 in. ix st. 5 lb. Prop. A strong resolute prop, he was outstanding in the loose. His uncanny knack of merging from the loose ruck with the ball proved useful and fruitful on many occasions. Fully merited halfcolours.

G. K. M. Murray. 5 ft. is in. 14 at. t lb. Second row. Although never fully fit he played enthusiastically in all the games. Jumped well at times and his hefty kicking proved advantageous. A better player in the loose than in the tight. Reawarded half-colours.

A. F. Philip. 5 ft. 9 in. 1 t st. to lb. Hooker. Generally hooked well but had his off-days. Always placed enthusiastically and backed up well but his handling errors proved costly on occasions. His fitness was an example for others.

Awarded half-colours.

D. W. Smith. 6 ft. t 1 st. 7 lb. Lock. Although the youngest member of the side he showed considerable promise. Good with both hands and feet he could always be relied on in defence and attack. Should do well next year.

Awarded half-colours.

A. A. Stephen. 5 ft. 8 in. to st. 6 lb. Wing threequarter. A strong and determined runner his defence was probably the best facet of his play. With more training he could have been one of the outstanding players of the team. Awarded half-colours.

D. J. Stewart. 6 ft. ai in. II st. 81b. Second row. He jumped well throughout the season and his general play improved with every game. Was unlucky to be injured as the seasons drew to a close. Fully deserved half-colours.

K. J. Thomson. 5 ft. i o in. lost. so lb. Prop. Although he was hard worked to maintain his own in the tight he was never lacking in the loose. His inexperience found him out on occasions but he backed up continually. Awarded half-colours.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magatine

1 zo

The School Sports The School Sports at Rubislaw on Friday and Saturday, 7 and 8 June had mixed weather. On Friday the sun never broke through, and dank air and damp grass did not make for cheerfulness. But on Saturday it was quite different : the sun shone, with no threat of mist or rain, the wind was just strong enough to ripple the flags and cool the flushed cheek, and everybody was happy.

The House Championship was won by Dun House—an achievement on which it is to be especially congratulated for it last won the House Championship in 1925 !

The House Captain James Banks will be particularly pleased, and deservedly so, for his cheerful and energetic example has done much towards the result.

In winning the Open Championships Robin Craig, Captain of Byron has crowned

an outstanding sports and athletic career at School—adding it to his captaincy of the Rugger, Cricket, Tennis and Athletics teams.

The following new records were set up : Group z Mile : David Robertson, 4 min. 47.1 scc.

Group 5 44o yds. : Marshall Byres, 67 sec.

The Group 3 High Jump record was equalled by John Belka, jumping 4 ft. i i in.

The Inter-House Championship (1) Dun—I36 points. (z) Melvin—t 2 x points.

(3) Byron—to7f points.

(4) Keith-98f points.

Individual Championship Results Open Group :

1. Robin Craig (Byron), 18 points. z. John Hadden (Keith), 13} points.

3. James Banks (Dun), toi points.

Group z :

1. Brian Carrie (Dun), 14 points.

2. Dennis Inkson (Byron), 1z points.

Group 3 :

1. Leslie Morrison (Dun), to points.

2. John Macphie (Dun), 9 points.

Group 4 :

1. Jonathan Anstock (Melvin), to points.

2. Gordon Smith (Melvin), 6 points.

Group 5

1. Marshall Byres (Keith), to points.

(Lower School) 2. David Watt (Dun), 7 points.

Fowlie Trophy

Marshall Byres (Keith).

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Literary Section For Sale (in 4 lots) April 5984 Inexpensive and infinitely charming semi-detached nation; only 5 hours from America; all mad. con.—also soc., lib., and ind. fighting a losing battle of wits with the con. men, The lucky purchaser of this lovely little nation will find extensive grounds (for complaint), abundant woodland, park and assorted jungles which have been impeccably maimed by our estate factors. Unfortunately several of the outlying fields and gardens, suffering from neglect, have gone to secede. A shortage of Labour has not helped, surprisingly enough.

Although the preserves specialise in grousing there is, besides, a truly remarkable selection of game birds indigenous to the area, viz: the Lesser Spotted, the Better Karcer bird, the secretive Red-tailed Vassalpecker, the Brown-backed Wilson warbler, and what we believe is the sole remaining Phoenix in the world. On election this bird disappears into a pillar of fire, emitting its plaintive cry, " Hallowed hallowed ". The ashes of its body are carefully conserved (hence the party name) and the indomitable old bird is reincarnated every five years.

On the spiritual side, towards the Elysian fields, management of the estates is entrusted to that old firm of solicitors Martini Luther and John Carlsberg. The representatives of the parent Company, the AngliPres Co., who remain grossly underpaid, arc good-for-nothing.

Quaint national customs and traditions of great antiquity arc found in every part of the estates, especially the wooded regions. To give but one example of how a historic event is immortalised in a simple yet moving ritual performed by each citizen : Almost eight centuries ago, on a stormy Monday morning in June 1215, King John I, in a fit of madness or rage, cast his crown into the waters of the Wash, on the cast coast of England. The crown was never recovered and this event is commemorated each week when in every corner of the nation hands are ceremoniously dipped in blackened water to symbolise the fruitless search ; and each Monday is called Washday.

Despite some evidence of dry-rot (see above), this nation could still be of more than intrinsic value, and might well form the nucleus of a worthwhile and enviable collection. The entire property has been whitewashed and redecorated at regular intervals of five years since the fifties (The 5-Year Plan) by the present caretaker, Mack Milan, Offers will be considered by an Independent Tribunal, appointed by the League of United Nations: the members of the tribunal are as follows: (i) Emperor C. de Gaulle of Napoleon Enterprises Inc. (sponsored by the Maker). (a) The Retiring Konrad Adenoid of Land Reclamation Limited (so far).

(3) D. C. Washington, Colonial Sales Representative of the Kennedy Dynasty.

Soul Agentr: the AngliPres Co. and Subsidiaries (Contractors) (we operate, by arrangement with the Post Office, a special G.O.D. service for clients).

IAN STRONACH, Upper VI

Bogie's Thrashin' It wis hauf-sax ac Thursday momin' i' the tail en' o' the 'car fin Bogie raxed 'imsel an' glower ower the wye o' his bedroom windae. Hodgin' ower tae the breist o' the bed he schocbled oot ower an' began tae pu' on 'is brecks, hoppin' an' stottin' nearer the curtains tae get a right scan up at the sky.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

" We're gaun tae get a topper o' a day for oor thrash yet Jean," he shouted jovially across tull's wife, buttonin' his gallusses at the same time. " Mind, ye'll hae the fower mull men extra tae their breakfast. 1'11 awa' oot an' get Jamie yokit amon' the nowt tae lat's get on."

The breakfastin' gacd by, an' so wi' pipes an' fags yoamin', they scurr't back their cheers an' set oot in sma' procession tae the scene o' the thrashin', the mull haein' been set the nicht afore. The ncepors were gaitherin' noo wi' twa-taed forks ancath their oxters, an' it wisna lang till the " bum-bum " o' the mull signalt a' body to be in poseetion for the job they had tae dee. Jamie, it wis noticed, had the feet o's breeks weel tied wi' binder tow " tae haud the yaavins oan gaen ower the moos o' ma beets." " Noo, noo, Jamie," contered Sprotty's orra man, " its jist tie keep the rottans fae tinning up the legs o' yer breeks, gin ye want tae be richt truthfu' aboot it." A'body leuch till Bogie broke in wi' " Come awa' noo lads, we hinny gotten mony momin's like this." An' so the thrashin' began.

The barley strae wis tae be baled, an this job inveigled twa men tae humph the bales, an' the oorra loon tae big the soo. The twa men humphin' the bales wir gey sair forfachen wi' the yaavins gaan doon the necks o' their sarks, but they got ower this a bit by wuppin' fat they hid for hankies coon their necks. The foreman was at the baggin' en' o' the mull wi anither man tae full, weigh, an' tie the moos o' the bags afore they gaed hame on the bogie tae be stored in the laft. Piece time earn' at nine o'clock an' seen it wis denner time, an' bi' this time fower o' the rucks hid been thrashen an' baled. The fairmer's wife hidna sic a dose o' folk as she had at the tattie pickin', but there wis a gey cum a' the same. Efter they had a' been denner't, Jamie gid tae hae a swaage amon the strae an' hae a news wi the neeperin' bailie, " Man," he said " yon's a gey shargar bunch o' sharny hippct stots 'at Hilly his in his eimist park. It'll be a lang time yet afore they see the store ring let aleen the fat ane." The bailie was jist aboot tae agree, fin gweed be here, doon plunks Hilly himsel' aside Jamie. " Aye, aye, min," says Jamie, " I wis just saying fit a bonnie herd o' nowt ye hiv in yon eimist parkie. A' wis tellin' the bailie here that it'll no be lang afore ye pit them awa' fat." The two-faced jaud! An so the newsin' gaed on, bit cum anc o'clock they haed a' yokit again 'cept Jamie fa' hid seated himself on the heid o' the mull an' wis busy fullin's his beets wi strae tae keep his feet het. " Come awa min," roared the foreman, " wir nae gyan tae thrash a' they rucks here tae keep you in strae fur Pullin' yet beets! " Come half-sax at nicht thcy hid a'thing thrashcn bar one that wis tae be fed tae the nowt in the court. Noo " Lady " the fairmer's mongrel tyke had accoontit for nae fyower than twa-an-twenty half grown rottans, tae say naething o' an antrin moose or twa that had been beddit doon for the winter in the foons o' the rucks.

Bogie thankit his neepors for their helpin' him, an' they a' gacd their wyes tae sort their ain nowt. The fower mull men got the calf-blast faisten'd tae, an' the mull happet. But they didna bide tul their tae as they had tae gyang tae the neist fairm twa miles awa an' wanted tae get a'thing ready 'afore dark. Bit at least Bogie's thrashin' wis a' by till neist hairst. " Weel, weel an'," said Bogie lowsin' his galluses that nicht, " It's graun' tae see a' that barley in aneth a reef at last. I'll sweet there's the best pairt o' so quarters tae the acre an' deil the money sheelicks amon't. Bit I think wi'd better jist let it be in the laft a flue Jean, 'cos there's some wird o' the price o' barley gaun up yet. An' its graun stuff.

DENNOS ANDERSON, InG1

Aunt Agatha's Bequest Our house has never been the same since old Aunt Agatha bequeathed to us her most treasured possession—her portrait.

It was a lumbering, heavy, painting, one that glowered and disapproved. It menaced and threatened. When it arrived, it was put in the place of honour— upon the mantel shelf. Immediately it began its frightful course of destruction.

School Section

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The first action it took was to sap all the colour from the surrounding area with a seeming simultaneous lowering of the temperature. People began to talk furtively, avoiding the piercing eyes of our Aunt. Soon the room became silent and deserted. Even at meal times, only muttered murmurs were audible. The room had become dismal and forbidding, the fire, only a minute flicker, trying to brighten the massive canvas.

Soon neighbours began to avoid invitations to dinner and other functions.

Our house became a graveyard of whispering noises. The portrait, quietly triumphant, stood aloof.

Then Uncle Bill arrived. Sensing a clash of the giants, we waited with baited breath. Immediately, life began to pulse in the house. Uncle Bill had takcn a strong dislike to the portrait and being of a strong masterful disposition, had quietly burned the picture in the fire. Thankfully we moved back into the room.

We had disposed of the portrait—but what of Uncle Bill?

DAVID MYHILL, 111Hz

Between Thunder-Showers The heavy smell of the rain, Of wet grass and dripping, twilit leaves Rises through choking nostrils to my brain.

Crushed mint spreads out its fragrant net As my foot flattens it to the earth.

Lilies white and virgin, sensual yet As drooping, swaying, orchids, Flood the air with pools of tranquil scent.

A crackling thunder-coolness Gusts and puffs from hedge to breathing tree.

Large slow drops burst on the stones.

Gravel kicks and spurts under my feet As I run for shelter From the heavy scentening rain.

GEOFFREY

E. WOOD, Upper VI

A City's Destruction As when a mountain stream o'er all the land, The fields and all their smiling crops, the toil Of mighty oxen, ploughers of the soil, Unchecked doth flood, and like an evil hand Destruction to the farmers brings, who stand Confused and terrified by this turmoil, And watch dismayed the raging waters boil, While now, united in a desperate band, They struggle hopelessly against the stream, And hearing its relentless pow'rful roar, Sink down to die beneath the swollen tide, So do the furious foe with shout and scream, With sharpened steel soon steeped in slaughtered gore, This queen of ancient cities now o'erride.

RICHARD C. SIIIRRILFFS, IV

124

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine " Tintagel " 1 stood, once, on an empty beach, Beyond the lapping waters' reach.

Silence everywhere And there I dreamed.

It seemed As though the misty centuries rolled away, And in the evening sunset, sleeping, lay, Tintagel.

The twilight fell On many-towered hall and balcony, Suffused the steeple, wall and gallery, Chapel and cell.

A tenor bell Swung hollow on the silent evening air, Echoed round the streets, now still and bare, At rest.

But in the west, the storm-clouds gathered, Piling upward, more and more; Monster white-lipped flood-waves rolling, Crashed in on Tintagel shore.

Lightning flashed in lurid zigzag Tore the skits above the town, While the islet shook and shuddered, Towers, swayed, came crashing down.

Voices screaming in the darkness, Houses, steeples, overthrown; Each flood rolling ever higher: Now would the sea reclaim her own!— Suddenly, the spell was broken Now before me only lay Wavelets lapping at the cliff's edge.

Seabirds wheeling through the spray And, perhaps, Tintagcl, sleeping.

In the silence of the hay.

IAN TELFER,

The Gull Gliding, soaring, in the quiet sky, Alone in the clouds, dreaming by, Carelessly drifting with the off-shore breeze, Majestically circling, above the seas.

A solitary figure, with a humble look, Like a bird from a child's story-book, White, fluffy, marred with a grey streak, And wings of beauty, smooth and sleek.

JAMES MCKAY, LB

School Salim

I15

To a Quadratic Equation On a fine summer's morn—'twas the second of May, (Quite apart from one instantly obvious flaw, 'That two plus three does not make four), Whilst solving a sort of equation that day, A problem occurred. Who sets the paper.

Which gives us yards and inches to measure, And even makes us find the pressure, Of twelve cubic feet of water vapour?

Is it some master, on mischief bent?

No, it is not. In some tiny office, There is a door, on which hangs the notice, Scottish Education Department.

No wonder their outlook on life is embittered When, with our own papers, their office is littered.

H. NORBROOK, Upper IV

Snow As the snowflakes fall so white, I lie in bed all through the night Until the clock awakens me 1 open the curtains just to see Glorious snow.

Down with my porridge, butter and bread, And then away to the garden shed, To get my sledge beside the bin, Just to go and play in Wonderful snow.

Whizzing down, look out, a bend, 1 wonder when I'll reach the end, And then I fall and tumble round And then lie flat out on the ground Of snow.

When I reach the top again Oh, darn it, here's the rain I don't think it's really fair It washes away the big thick layers, Of snow.

And now I must go home again To hide from the awful rain The dreadful rain, what a rush It makes the streets turn into slush From snow.

JOHN SMITH, //C

1 zG

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine L'Oncle Charles Devant la foule un homme est debout D'un air tier, les mains &endues.

Ce n'est pas un roi—quoiqu'il jouc Ic role —C'est le General lui-meme, Le Grand De Gaulle! " Je suis la France! L'atat, c'est moi! " —Comme it est grave, juste comme un roi: 11 me fait penser, cet Homme de Paris Au Roi Solcil— Le Grand Louis! " La France m'adore: Jc suis 1'espoir, Le seul qui pout sauver ce pays si noir.

Suis-je injuste . . . ?—N'en Bites rien!

Un referendum, voila!—(Votez OUI, ou bien . . .) " Mes ennemis je renvoie et deporte sans ccsse, Messieurs Salan, Bidault et mon cher O.A.S. Aux assassins nombreux, je donne un coup . . .

Moi, dictateur?—Pas du tout. " Je suis l'Oncle Charles pour tous mes gcns, Nous sommes vos amis, moi et Tante Yvonne!

Nous sommes tous les deux, juste comme un . . . .

(Mais pour moi le Marche Comm—un cst plus important!) " Quant a l'Angleterre, c'est fini, to sais: Napoleon l'a manqué, mais moi, je le fais I that has got to stop '— Plus de ' Rule Britannia Je vais vous empecher d'entrer dans MON Europe! " Margaret et Tony nc veulent pas rend' visite.

Parce qu'ils aiment mieux leurs ` crumpets, toast et the '.

Je vous donne ma sympathie, parce que je suis.

CHARLES LE GRAND BOON D'ARC DE GAULLE NAPOLOUIS." GRAHAM. D. CAIE, Lipper VI

An Electric Train No smoke, no steam, no snort, no sigh, With two fold cry she rushes by, No dust, no grime, no screech, no spark, Triumphantly, she skirts the park, No tug, no strain, no clang, no rend, As, gracefully, she takes the bend A glimpse of blue, a flash of glass A lovely vision, here, then past, One day she'll stop, no hiss of steam, And we will board the eight-fifteen.

B. MURRAY, /141/D

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127

The Orchestra Orchestras are funny things, With their trumpets, trombones, flutes and strings, They play symphonies, operas, marches and songs With their kettle drums, cymbals and Chinese gongs The conductor waves his stick about; The oboes start a-wailing out.

And soon the woodwind is all playing.

You should hear what that conductor is saying!

The brass and strings, they then come in All adding to the royal din; And then there is an almighty thunder, The drummer has started, so it's no wonder.

Very soon they start to get tired, And finally they stop.

The orchestra they went in fit, But now they're ready to drop.

Yes, orchestras are funny things, With their trumpets, trombones, flutes and strings, They play symphonies, operas, marches and songs, With their kettle-drums, cymbals, and Chinese gongs!

MICHAEL THOMSON, fIC

The Haggis Far on the moors a sound was heard, Was it a mouse, or was it a bird?

But no, t'was neither of these two, It was the Haggis, bold and true.

A round, black shape hopped o'er the hill, Its one eye glinting for the kill.

A silhouette against the sky, And then a weird, unearthly cry.

A capercailzie squawked and then The Haggis pounced—and struck again.

Then all was still, and the stars shone bright, A wicked deed was done that night; The Haggis, lonely, with its prey, Turned to the hill and slunk away.

JOHN E. MCINrosH, a

I 28

Aberdeen Grammar School Magaine The Day of the Bomb Last night I had an awful dream, Of endless, endless sand, Of endless, arid desert wastes, A strange and barren land.

No lizards played among the rocks, And not a plant there grew, No moisture there to let them live, No rivers clear and blue.

The air was still and heavy, With the peace that many sought, But this could not hide the death of life, The cobalt bombs had brought.

D. STEPHEN, HIGI

*

*

" Today we are possessed of marvellous devices for the exploration of space, great optical and radio telescopes, and space probes. . . .

Many of us here have lived in an epoch during which a few privileged astronomers have been given the power to tear aside the curtains which have hindered our understanding of the immensity of the cosmos. Now we know that the Milky Way, which is such a splendid sight in the night sky, is a galaxy of one hundred thousand million stars. Our home in space—the earth—is a planet of the sun, which is an average star of this galaxy. . . . We are far from the centre of this system, right out on one of the spiral arms in which the stars are arranged. . . . If we are a microcosm in the Milky Way, then the Milky Way itself is a microcosm of the universe. For, wherever we look in space, our telescopes reveal countless similar galaxies of stars distributed with a high degree of large-scale uniformity. . . . Within these regions of space and time there are many thousands of millions of galaxies containing vast numbers of stars like our own Milky Way." SIR BERNARD LOVELL

Former Pupils' Club Section (Club Founded i 1 September 1893)

Club Office-Bearers, 1962-63 Honorary President : JOHN VASS SKINNER, M.A., B.LITT., DIP. ED. (Rector since 1959) Honorary Vice-Presidents : HENRY JACKSON BUTCHART (1890-99), D.S.O., O.B.E., T.D., H.L., LL.D., D.L. DOUGLAS PATERSON COCHRAN (1906-15).

ALEXANDER GRAY (1910-22), M.A., LL.B. THE HON. LORD JOHNSTON (1913-26) JAMES GRAY KYD (1891-98), C.B.E., F.P.A., F.R.S.E. JOHN ADAM LILLIE (1893-1903), M.A., LL.B., Q.C. ERIC LINKLATER (1913-16), C.B.E., M.A., LL.D., T.D. The Right Hon. Lord MESTON (1901-02).

GEORGE GORDON NICOL (1894-1903), D.S.O., M.I.C.F.., M.CONS.E.

Sir WILLIAM PETERS (1900-06), C.M.G., M.A. JOHN LENNOX RIDDELL (1907-16).

Sir JAMES JACKSON ROBERTSON, C.B.E., LL.D., M.A., B.D., F.R.S.E., F.E.I.S. Rector (1942-59).

WILLIAM DOUGLAS SIMPSON (190I-13), O.B.E., M.A., LL.D., D.LITT., F.S.A.(SCOT.),,F.S.A

Sir JOHN WILLIAM TAYLOR (1906-11), K.B.E., C.M.G. Sir WILLIAM ROBERT TENNANT (1904-10), C.1.E., M.A., LL.D. Sir JOHN MACKAY THOMSON, C.B., M.A., F.R.S.E. (Rector, 1920-21).

Sir LANDSBOROUGH THOMSON (1899-1908), C.B., O.B.E., M.A., D.SC., F.R.S.E., LL.D. ROBERT BERTRAM WILLIAMSON (1906-18), D.S.O., M.A., LL.B. President :

Dr. W. DOUGLAS SIMPSON (1901-13), O.B.E., M.A., D LITT., F.S.A. Vice-President of Club and Chairman of Executive : ALAN CROMBIE ROBERTSON WATT (1925-37) M.A., LL.B. Secretary and Treasurer :

JOHN SCOT MACLACIILAN (1922-32), M.A., LL.B., 220 Union Street, Aberdeen.

General Editor of Magazine : CAMPBELL CONNON (1926-38), M.A., LLB., 58 Dee Street, Aberdeen.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Secretaries of Centres : Bengal and Assam—DR. WILLIAM GEORGE MACMILLAN (1916-22), c/o Indian Jute Mills Research Institute, 3 Taratala Road, Calcutta, 27.

Central Africa—GEORGE MITCHELL GROAT (1927-40), P.O. Box 394, Salisbury.

Edinburgh—ALLAN CAMERON FRAZER (1925-30), M.A., W.S., 10 Athol' Crescent, Edinburgh 3.

Glasgow—JoHN GORDON MICHIE BIRSS (1926-38), ikt.c., M.A., A.C.W.A., 99 Essex Drive, Scotstoun, Glasgow ,W.4.

London—ROBERT A. E. MENNIE (1924-36), Graystoncs, 3 Mount Pleasant Road, Saffron Walden, Essex.

GRAY (1943-49), B.SC., P.O. Box 207, Ranting, Selangor, Scorr Malaya—BRIAN Malaya.

Yorkshire—ARTHUR JAMES ADAMS (1919-30), 485 Bradford Road, Thornbury, Bradford.

Secretaries of Sections : Cricket—ALEXANDER

MUNRO DAVIDSON (1937-45), B.L., 18

Golden Square,

Aberdeen.

Golf—GEORGE ALEXANDER CRAIG WALKER (1917-23), 164 Market Street, Aberdeen.

Hockey—H. K. LAWSON, I14 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen.

Rugby—GEORGE M. M. SLATER (1935-47) 164 Craigton Road, Aberdeen.

Executive Committee :

The Vice-President of the Club, Chairman.

Vice-Chairman—WILLIAM LEWIS CONNON (1930-40), B.L. The Secretary and Treasurer, and General Editor of Magazine, ex offirii.r.

The Rector of the School, ex officio.

JOHN McP. HUTCH (1932-45), C A. HECTOR ISrfACQL7EEN AIRD (1946-61).

WILLIAM WALLACE PORTER (1915-23).

ALEXANDER CROMAR (1944-50), M.A. IAN LEWIS SMITH (1918-30).

WILLIAM MILNE EVEN (1932-44).

GORDON HARVEY HENDERSON (1921-34), DONALD JOHNSTON STEPHEN (1946-52).

Dr. RANALD FYFE FINDLAY STEVEN, M.A. LL.B. PHILIP NOEL LOVE (1952-58), M.A. Joni,: MAXWELL MILNE (1934-46), M .A. JOHN MORTIMER (1923-27).

(1933-43) ERIC DOUGLAS WATT (1937-50).

HAROLD MURRAY ROBERTSON (1926-38), M.A.

Section Representatiret Cricket—IAN D. F. THomsoN (i 944-48)

G0ff-GEORGE ALEXANDER CRAIG WALKER (1917-23). llockey—JAMES FORREST DONALD (1933-44).

Rugby—GEORGE M. M. SLATER (1933 -47).

Staff—ALEXANDER BRUCE, T.D., M.A., B.SC. Hon. Auditors : Messrs. BOWER and SMITH, C.A.

WATT

TWO popular masters of pre-war days " Pym " and " Suivi ".

(This snap, taken unbeknown to the subjects, will bring back many happy memories.)

Our President, 1963-64 -r

1)R.

DOUGLAS SIMPSON

-

Former Pupils' Club

13 1

Dr. W. Douglas Simpson Re-appointed as President for 1963-64 In this centenary year of the School buildings in Skene Street it is particularly appropriate that the President of the Former Pupils' Club should be one so distinguished, so well-known and so closely entwined with the School and the Club as William Douglas Simpson (1901-13), C.B.E., M.A., D.LITT., LL.D., F.S.A. (Scot.), F.S.A., who takes up for the second time the office to which he was first appointed in 1953. In doing so, Dr. Simpson does honour to a Club which owes its inception seventy years ago to his father, Dr. H. F. Morland Simpson, a great Rector, who moulded the School's character from 1893 until his death in 1919. Dr. Morland Simpson, bearing down the Main Corridor like a ship-of-the-line with all sail set, was a singularly distinctive and identifiable figure: and his notable son has, in his own right, always imprinted on those around him the seal of his strongly-marked, scholarly and warmly-regarded individuality.

Grammar School boys of another day, who knew a kind and good man when they saw one, bestowed their ultimate accolade on so benign a mandarin by calling him " Fossil "—not infrequently to his face.

This tells more, even, than the writings for which Dr. Douglas Simpson is so well-known—and that is a feat in itself.

The new President's record of invaluable service to the University of Aberdeen, both as Librarian and as Registrar of the General Council; to historical and archaeological studies at home and abroad; to the School; to the Boy Scouts Association (of which he was a pioneer in Aberdeen fifty years ago); to the cause of Further Education; to the Deeside Field Club; to the Ancient Monuments Board of Scotland, whose Chairman he has been; to the Scottish Records Advisory Committee and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery Advisory Committee; and to a multiplicity of other allegiances—all this has brought, over the years, public recognition of a man and a mind whose quality was evidenced by the First-Class Honours Degree in History awarded to him in 1919 and the Doctorate of Literature granted in 1924.

Which honour has given him most modest pleasure it would be hard to guess. The O.B.E. in 1954? The Silver Acorn from the Chief Scout in 1958? The Honorary Presidency of The Deeside Field Club in 1959? The Honorary Degree of LL.D. from his Alma Mater of Aberdeen in 1960? The C.B.E. in 1962? Or, in its own way, the inescapable knowledge that year after year the douce adults of Aberdeen have been almost coming to blows in order to cram into his racy and deeply-informed lectures on North-East Archaeology under the Further Education scheme? " Si monumenium requiris eircumspiee." Excavations at the castles of Kildrummy, Kindrochit, Coull, Esslemont, Dundarg, Finavon, Doune and elsewhere! Advice on the restoration of Dornoch Cathedral, or the repair of Dunottar Castle, and on the excavation of

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine Forres Castle! Researches extending to Norway and Germany!

The books and papers written, the lectures given, the interests sharply awakened!

Or, somewhere in time, a small and irreverent Boy Scout warmed with the sun, embarking, to the delight of his companions, in the eclectic and unmistakable accents of Dr. W. Douglas Simpson, on a perhaps apocryphal preamble beginning, "Despite the—ah—vicissitudes of an unusually turbulent history, the—ah—castle of . . . ".

Westminster Abbey couldn't hold more!

R. J. M. (1918-3o) 132

*

*

Our Library Appeal The result of our Appeal to F.P.s for books (including new ones!) for the new school library has been disappointing indeed, in terms of the number of F.P.s who have responded to this appeal. We shall report in detail on the result in the next issue; in the meantime . . . . there's still time. *

*

*

133

Former Pupils' Club Annual General Meeting, x963

The Sixty-first Annual General Meeting of the Club was held in the Caledonian Hotel on Thursday, 28 February 1963, with Mr. Alan J. Peters as Chairman.

Executive's Report for 196a The Secretary read the report from which the following information is taken : Membership and Subscriptions The following is an analysis of the membership of the Club as at 28 February 1963 with comparable figures at 28 February 1962.

28/2/62 28/2/63

Life Membership Fully Partially Paid Ordinary Honorary Paid II 1,126 5 1,171 II I,277 t,t to 4 ____ — 4-6 —16 — —1 m.,.=

...

Staff 322 31 _ —1

Total 2, 3 2,333 -12

......

Losses by death During the year the deaths of fifty-one Former Pupils, of whom thirty-two were Members of the Club, have been recorded in the Magazine. These included two former Presidents, Mr. J. C. Duffus and Sir Arthur Lothian, and Sir Wilson Jameson, an Honorary Vice-President ; Mr. A. D. S. Anderson, President of the London Centre of the Club ; and Mr. William Mitchell Smith, Senior Partner in the Firm of Messrs. Bower & Smith, Chartered Accountants, which Firm have audited the Club Accounts since the inception of the Club.

Social The Annual Dinner of the Club was held in the Douglas Hotel, Aberdeen on 19 October 1962 when 29 Junior Members and Guests and 179 Senior Members and Guests were present. This was a record attendance for a Club Dinner. The President, Mr. Alexander Gray, was in the chair and the toast of " The School and the Club " was proposed by Sheriff Aikman Smith. The deficit on the function was £24 OS. 9d.

The Annual Ball was held in the Beach Ballroom on z6 December 1962 and attended by forty-six Junior Members and Guests and 395 Senior Members and Guests. The surplus amounted to £;o 13s. 4d.

As intimated in the December 1962 issue of the Magazine, arrangements are in hand for holding the next Annual Dinner in the School Hall on Wednesday, 23 October 1963, this being the hundredth anniversary of the present School buildings.

Swimming Pool Work on the Swimming Pool is well advanced and it will not be long now before it is open for use.

School Alterations The major alterations and additions to the fabric of the School are also now in hand and proceeding well.

Primary Departments Members will have seen from the Press the proposal by the Education Committee to close the Primary Departments of the High School and Grammar School and meetings of interested parties have been held to discuss the position.

GENERAL RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT RECEIPTS Ordinary Subscriptions received prior to January, 1962: £x o 0 Received in 1954 x xo 0 1955 110 0 1956 x o 0 1957 5 o 0 1958 11 o 0 1959 i8 10 0 1960 114 to 0 1961 £141 r5 1 85 5 56 ro

o 0 o

£383 to 448 0 215 5 7 1

0 4

£154 0 183 5 50 15

Ordinary Subscriptions received in 1962 Arrears recovered in 1962

£388

Revenue from Investments (Gross) Interest at 3 per cent. on Life Capital Fund Surplus on Entertainments Account Income Tax Refund: Year 1959-6o Year 1980-61 Year 1961-62

4

8

0 0 0

£3 to 7 3 6 16

£166

17 IO to 6 to 0 6 5 o 26 10 7 £1104

4

2

286 17 538 11

£991 JO

o 5 2

8

£x688 10

7

I

9

BALANCE SHEET as

9

75

1

0

£71 75 215

9 5

9 4

£6960

4

5

264 JO

o

8 iv

0

4

5

£7233

2

MAGAZINE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT REVENUE £159 5 0 Sales 292 I2 I Advertisements 636 13 8 Transferred to General Receipts and Payments Account

1981

£7100

0

6 8 8

Rolls of Honour Donations Deficit for Year

£ro53 17

0

441 18 10 210 14 3 6 12 7

CAPITAL AND LIABILITIES I. LIFE MEMBER CAPITAL FUND— Amount at credit at 31 December 1961 Life Members' Subscriptions received in 1962: 4 Full Life Members at £55 — — 3 Instalments for Life Membership — — — — Life Members' Special Appeal —

-

Less Transferred to Receipts and Payments Account II. ORDINARY SUBSCRIPTIONS PAID IN ADVANCE Balance of Subscriptions received in 1954 1955 1956 1957 1 958 1959 196o 1961 Subscriptions received in 1962 for future years 111.

PooL FUND

£6960 £6o o 3 3 o to

-

-

_

-

4

5

63 13

0

£7023 17 210 14

5 3

o 0 0

-

-

-

£3 0 2 10 3 0 2 10 9 to 6 to 17 5 66 5 262 15

3

2

373 5 8 to

0 o

£7194 18

2

£6813

0 0 0 0 o 0

0 0 0

ABERDEEN, June i963.—We have examined the foregoing Accounts for the year ending 31 December 1962 Accounts correct. We arc of the opinion that the Balance Sheet correctly states the position of the Club as of the Accounts.

245 UNION STREET, ABERDLLN.

for year ending 31 December 1962 PAYMENTS 1961

£x8a 2 5 5 3 9 163 7

8 o 9 6

Working Expenses, including Honorarium to Secretary and Treasurer Honorarium to Auditors for year to 31 December 1961 — — — Income Tax Schedule D Year 1962-63 Income Tax Paid by deduction from Investment Income — —

9 17

6

30 o 9 0 7 10

0 0

School and Trophy Medals Capitation Grants: London Glasgow Edinburgh

6o

a

13 6 538 xi 11 x

2

£1053 .17

4

o

£176 13 5 5

2 0

17x 5 to II

2 6

48 0 8 13 20 0 7 7 19 13 636 13 o 0

0 4 0 o 3 8 0

£30 0 0 9 o 0 9 o o

3 Club Development o Sports Prize Fund o Miscellaneous 6 Depreciation on Addressograph Machine and Cost of Plates

6

20 0 0 0

— — — — £2 6 6 168 r8 8

Transferred from Magazine Account Surplus for Year

—

—

—

—

£1104

2

I

£869 12

3

for Year ending 31 December 1962 £774 1 7 11

£38 14 zgo

at6 12

8

£991 10

7

5

6 zo

£229

1

zo

8

3 7

EXPENDITURE Cost of Printing Stock of Envelopes as at 31st December 1961 Working Expenses including Envelopes and Honoria to Editorial Committee

12

8

7

252

7

4

Less Stock of Envelopes as at 31 December 1962

264 15 II 45 17 5

—

218 x8

6

£1088 10

9

£6408 15

5

at December 1962 ASSETS I. CASH IN HAND AND IN INVESTED FUNDS £466 sos. Ordinary Stock Standard Trust Ltd. 5s. Units (at cost) (Market Value £2005 19s.) £990 1 2932 Aberdeen & Canadian Investment Trust Ltd. 5s. Ordinary Stock Units (at cost) (Market Value £3848 5s.)

— — 1994 / 8 3600 The Anglo-Celtic Trust Ltd. 5s. Ordinary Stock Units (at cost) (Market Value £2340) 999 II 9o United Corporation Ltd." B" Common Shares (at cost) (Market Value £729) 884 9 1463 Ordinary 5s. Units The Second Scottish Northern Investment Trust Ltd. (at cost) (Market Value £1554 8s. 9d.)

976 6 — — 25o Royal Insurance Co. Ltd. New Ordinary Shares of 5s. each fully paid (at cost) (Market Value £450) — — — — — 563 8 (Total Market Value £10,927 I2S. 9d.)

— — — £6408 15 5 Aberdeen Savings Bank: On Deposit—Ordinary Account — — — — £504 I 9 Special Investment 81 8 7 179 10 7 £.185 to Bank of Scotland: Credit Balance on Current Account 343 0 403 1 7 4 1961

34

I

9i

8

0 8 x

4 5 528 to 9 0 13 3+ £6937 19 5+

£184 to 84.

26 xo

7 211

8+

III. MAGAZINE Stock of envelopes in hand Cash in hands of Editor 12

8 6

Cash in Hands of Treasurer II. CAPITAL ACCOUNT Amount at debit at 31 December 2961 Add Deficit in Receipts and Payments Account for year ending 31 December 1962 — — — — — — — —

184 10

6

7

IV. ADDRESSOGRAPH MACHINE Purchase Price Less Depreciation to date

£73 10 8 63 10 8

x

3+

45 17

5

£45 17 5 o 0 0 -

-

£73 to 8 73 to 8

10

0

0

0

£7233

4

5

£7194 18

0 0 2

and relative Balance Sheet as at 31 December 1962, compared the figures with the vouchers, and found the at 31 December 1962. We have had exhibited to us the various Securities supporting the Funds at the close DOWER & SMITH, C.A. Honorary Auditors.

136

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Edinburgh Centre The Edinburgh Centre held their Annual Dinner in the Roxburghe Hotel on Friday, 1 February 1963, the eve of the French Match. A company of fifty-two members and their guests sat down together—a record number since the founding of the Centre in 1932. The standard of speaking was of a very high order. Major General Tomory presided with geniality and good humour. The Toast of " The School and The Club " was proposed by The Rev. W. J. G. Macdonald, B.D. and replied to by Mr. Alexander Gray, M.A., LL.B., President of the Parent Club. The Toast of " The Guests " was proposed by the Chairman and replied to by Robert Kemp. Peter Millar proposed the health of the Chairman. There can have been few dinners of the Centre at which there was so much wit and good humour.

The Annual Meeting of the Club was held at the interval and the following office-bearers were elected: President, Mr. Douglas Reith, Q.C. (1924-35); VicePresident, Mr. W. Ferrier Mayor (1923-30); Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. Allan C. Frazer (1925-30). Committee: Mr. D. R. B. Cay (1935-46), Dr. A. B. Donald (1922-28), Mr. J. R. Fiddes (1924-37), G. A. MacNab (1933-44), F. S. Taylor (1923-28), Major Douglas Spark (1905-10).

The following members attended the dinner: E. Ros Birkett, (1920-22), F. C. B. Black (1914-17), Martin A. Campbell (1947-60), D. R. B. Cay, (1935), Dr. A. B. Donald 46), T. Gordon Coutts, 1938-51), Peter Cook, ( (1922-28), J. R. Fiddes, (5924-37), Allan C. Frazer, (1925-30), M. Gallacher (194862), James R. Guy (1924-36), R. K. Hall (1928-38), Michael G. Henderson (19486o), The Hon. Lord Johnston (1913-26), Sheriff John A. Lillie, Q.C. (1893-1903), W. Ferrier Mayor, M.A. (1923-30), D. I. K. MacLeod (1952-54), G. A. Macnab, (1935-44), Dr. G. M. M. Menzies (1917-20), A. S. Matheson (1926-31), Peter C. Millar, (1933-44), Dr. Alexander Parkinson (1943-55), Douglas Reith, Q.C. (1924.35), Dr. L. S. Rusack, Ronald G. C. Smith (1926-37), Major A. Douglas Spark, (5905-so), F. S. Taylor (1923-28), Roy A. Wilson.

London Centre io October: A.G.M. in the Caledonian Club.

6 December: Annual Dinner also in the Caledonian Club.

R. MENNIE, Secretary.

[Note by Editor: Robert Mennie is now the Centre's Secretary in place of Ninian Mackie. His address is shown in the list of officials on p. 130.]

Yorkshire Centre The Yorkshire Centre of the Club held their Annual Dinner on Friday 29 March 1963, in the Senior Common Room, The University, Leeds.

It was a great pity that only seven " regulars " of the Centre were able to attend for Mr. J. V. Skinner, the Rector, had travelled to Leeds to spend the evening with this small but select body of very loyal Grammarians. However, the paucity of numbers did not spoil the general enjoyment of the evening.

Mr. " Hamish " Spark, President of the Centre, proposed the Toast to the School and Mr. Skinner responded. Developments at the School were illustrated both verbally and pictorially by Mr. Skinner. There was no doubt in the minds of those present that the old School under the leadership of Mr. Skinner was as virile as ever.

The business of the Annual General Meeting was expeditiously dealt with by re-electing the previous year's officials and a most enjoyable " get together " was suitably rounded off by the usual " Birse Cup ".

Former Pupils' Club

137

Apologies for absence were received from Dr. W. Douglas Simpson, President of the Club, J. Scott Maclacblan, Secretary, and five members of the Yorkshire Centre, Professor E. J. Wood, Ilkley, Albert Rhind, Pontefract, Ian Drummond, Leeds, J. A. N. Watt, Brough, and Brian Saddler, Bradford.

Those present were: J. C. Spark (1918-21), Professor W. P. Milne (1897-99), Oswald Prosser (19o7-18), Ian G. Innes (1905-8), Ian D. Inns (1933-38), W. J. Finnic (i 928-31), Brian Finnie (1948-59), A. J. Adams (1920-3o), and Mr. J. V. Skinner, Rector.

Dundee Centre On 1 4 May in the Queens Hotel, Dundee, fifteen former pupils of the School met to discuss the possibility of the formation of a new Club Centre in Dundee. The suggestion was unanimously approved and the new Centre will cover Members of the Club resident in Fife, Kinross, Perth and Angus areas. The intention is to hold monthly meetings throughout the winter.

Office Bearers elected are : President, E. F. Anderson, 9 Norrie Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee; Secretary Treasurer, Robert S. Riney, 8 Foster Road, Dundee; Committee Members, J. B. Barnett, 131. Strathmartine Road, Dundee, Ian Smith, 29 Dunmore Road, Perth Road, Dundee, Thomas M. Arnott, 42 Gillies Place, Broughty Ferry, Dundee.

Any members of the Club resident in the districts mentioned are invited to communicate with the Secretary of the Centre or any of the Committee Members.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magaine

13 8

F.P. Rugby Section Despite the fact that bad weather stopped play for two months after the New Year playing records show that the Section has had a successful season with all teams showing excellent results. By virtue of the fact of being the only team unbeaten by another Aberdeen side the Section finished at the top of the Local Championship for the first time for three seasons.

An innovation this year was a tour of the Borders by an under-21 side. Four games were played against Melrose, Gala, Selkirk and Kelso Under-z1 Teams. The first three games were won and the fourth had to be abandoned because of a snowstorm but with the Tourists in a commanding lead. The tour was originated and organized completely by the under-z1 players and was outstandingly successful.

Although the 4th XV only played four times the team was well supported and a full fixture card has been arranged for next Season, with some out-of-town fixtures to add variety.

Invitations were received to four Sevens Tournaments which were all accepted, and at two, Aberdeen and Elgin, the Cups were won.

Also at the end of the Season the sat XV made a trip to England to play a game against Fylde which was drawn. It is hoped to do a similar trip next Season, perhaps playing two games, and the following Season to invite the English Clubs to Rubislaw.

Playing Results

ist XV and XV 3rd XV 41h XV

P 26 15 16 4

W 16 12 II 4

D 5 0 o O

Points L for against 16o 342 5 220 3 51 227 I19 4 15 O 73 G. M. M. SLATER, Hon. Sec.

F.P. Hockey Section Despite the prolonged winter which greatly interfered with the fixtures, the Section maintained its usual high standard of play and both ist and and XI just failed to win their respective leagues. The ist XI lost only one match during the season, in a league play-off with 'Varsity and generally inflicted crushing defeats on most of our opponents. Consolation was provided by the players who brilliantly won the Six-a-Side Cup, 'Varsity being the final victims.

E. D. Watt, J. Leiper, F. K. Lawson, J. R. Wight and S. A. Middleton were honoured by North. Further honours were bestowed on J. Leiper and E. D. Watt, who appeared in the final trial, while E. D. Watt went on to represent his country in all the Internationals and win fresh admiration from us all.

I have every confidence in the future and the club have several youngsters of considerable promise, but it would be foolish not to realise the need for recruiting.

Therefore, a very warm welcome is extended to all those leaving School.

The Section have been fortunate in securing fixtures next season with the two crack Southern teams Inverleith and I.C.I., thus completing a most attractive fixture list, while many of us are already looking forward with great anticipation to the forthcoming Easter tour of Ireland.

I am pleased to announce the formation of a Management Committee. Under the experienced guidance of W. Gatt, the committee will attend to all matters of administration and I fccl certain that the Section will derive much benefit from its deliberations.

Former Pupils' Club

139

Keith Campbell, our willing and hard working Secretary, has announced his retiral. The Section wish him to know how grateful they are for his faithful devoted service and excellent organisation. To his successor F. K. Lawson go our best wishes for the future.

It was with deep regret that the Section learnt of the deaths of Bob Wetherly, Mike Carson and David Wood. We extend our most sincere condolences to their loved ones. (See Obituary, pp. 146, 150 In conclusion I wish to thank all who work so hard for the dub and to Mr. Mathew, always so helpful and willing.

The following have been awarded Colours: 1st XI—J. Leiper. z XI—J. Lyon, M. Webster, H. McIntyre, S. Leslie.

Due to an oversight, it has not been recorded that Eric D. Watt was awarded 1st XI Colours during season 1958-59. This matter has now been regularised.

Results Dec. 15 22 ., 5 Jan. 9 March IS „ 23 ,, 26 „ 27 „ 30 ,, 5 April

v. Ruthrieston 4-2 v, Grammar F.P. 'A' 2-2 v. Ruthrieston 3- I v. University 4- 4 v. Grove Academy F.P. 4-z V. Ruthrieston 6-o v. Grammar School 4- 1 v. University I-2 v. Inverness Highland 5—z v. Civil Service (Edinburgh) 2-2 D

t)

W W W W D W W W W W

V

6-o 2-1 4- 1 3-x 3- 3 3-0 8-o 5-o 4-0 7-0

.

v. Ruthrieston v. Gordonians V. University v. Academy F.P. v. H.M.S. Fulmar v. Aberdeen v. Grove Academy F.P. v. Gordon's College v. Ruthrieston Ramblers v. Academy F.P.

r

x3 Sept.

55 „ 22 „ 29 „ 3o „ 6 Oct. 13 „ 20 „ to Nov. x Dec.

Goals Played 20

Won 15

Drawn 4

Lost I

For 8o

Against 2I

IAN A. MIDDLETON, Ce/phlin.

F.P. Golf Section The F.P. Golf Section had their first outing on 5 May at Ballater. The attendance and weather were quite good.

The prizes were won by the following: Handicap up to II 1. K. W. Hunter-76-6-7o-3 balls 2. W. C01111011-78-7-71-2 balls 3, I. Henderson—So-9-71-1 ball Handicap of iz and over I. M. Kelly-91-zo-71-3 balls 1. A. G. Scott-9z-zo-72-2. balls 3. A. R. Burnett—85-13-72-1 ball Special gift from Mr. Loggan to player with highest score—A. Tawse, 115.

The next outing will be on z June at Ballater.

Notes about F.P.s Michael Alastair McDonald Beattie* (1943-57) has recently taken up a post with the Kenya Government as a livestock officer in connection with pig husbandry.

After leaving School he studied at the North of Scotland College of Agriculture obtaining his Scottish diplomas in agriculture and in dairying. He then worked with a firm of veterinary chemists and later with the Pig Industry Development Authority on pig progeny, before joining the laboratory staff of the Aberdeen and District Milk Marketing Board at the end of 1962. He has been an enthusiastic assistant leader at the recently opened '6z Club for Aberdeen teenagers.

John Arthur Brand* (1939-52), M.A., who is a lecturer at Reading University, has been awarded a Ph.D. for a thesis on " Centralisation in local government ".

He graduated at Aberdeen in 1956 with first class honours graduate in Philosophy, and recently spent three months in Nigeria, attached to the University of Ibadan, studying African Government and methods of assisting the under-developed countries. As a result of his researches he has been invited to travel and lecture in Nigeria and Dahomey this summer.

Aberdeen Advocates Ronald Scott Brown* (1946-55), M.A., LL.B., who is meantime an assistant with Messrs. Brander & Cruickshank, Advocates in Aberdeen, and Charles Lewis Colby Soutar* (1933-41), M.A., LL.B., a partner in the firm of Cooper & Hay, Advocates in Aberdeen, have both recently been admitted members of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen.

Arnold Marischal Burns* (1920-25) has been appointed Group Controller of Civil Defence for the North-east Group covering the counties of Aberdeen and Kincardine and the city of Aberdeen. Mr. Burns, who is a member of Aberdeen Town Council, has been for some time convener of the Aberdeen Civil Defence Committee.

Neil Keith Buxton* (1948-58), M.A., has been appointed an assistant lecturer in Economic History at Aberdeen University. His elder brother Ian William Derek Buxton* (1947-54) has been in Gulu, Uganda, as an auditor in the Colonial Service since 1958.

George Edward Mitchell Christie (1942-53), who left the School to go to Australia with his parents, is now studying for his Chief Engineer's Certificate (Marine) at Sydney University.

Jonathan Mahram Daube* (1 95 1-53), M.A., has recently accepted a post at Newton High School, Newton, Massachusetts. Previously he taught English for two years at Watford Grammar School and for the last three years at Manchester Grammar School.

Neil Edward* (1948-55), M.B., CH.B., who graduated at Aberdeen in 196x and gained the Anderson Gold Medal and the MacQuibban Prize in medicine, is now a research scholar in the Department of Medicine at Aberdeen University.

George William Ferries* (1933-47) M.A., B.A., has taken up a lectureship in Psychology at the College of Advanced Technology, Birmingham. He was previously in the work study department of Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds Ltd. Ian Stark Flett* (1925-37), M.A., ED.B., is now Deputy Chief Education Officer at Kingston-upon-Hull. He taught for a time in Aberdeen and thereafter was an 140

Notes about Old Boys

141

educational psychologist at Sunderland, assistant Education Officer at Preston and Deputy Chief Education Officer at Southport.

Harry Douglas Forbes (1944-T7) has been appointed Liberal Agent for Chippenham. After leaving School he studied for a time at Aberdeen University, and thereafter was with the Aberdeen Office of the Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society.

Brian Douglas Millar Grassick (1938-52), m.a., cH.B., who was until recently a casualty surgeon at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Woolmanhill, has taken up a post at Miri, Sarawak. In addition to work at the hospital there, Dr. Grassick will travel throughout the area. was recently comAlexander Freeland Cairns Hunter (1943-57), M.A., missioned in the R.A.F. and is now undergoing training as a pilot. While at Aberdeen University he was an enthusiastic member of the University Aix Squadron.

William Watt Hutchison (1940-f3), B.Sc., has been recently awarded a Ph.D. at Toronto University. He went to Canada after graduating at Aberdeen in 1957, and lives in Ottawa where he is engaged on a four-year contract with the Canadian Government. While at Aberdeen University he was a founder member of the University Ski Club and he reports that he has had numerous opportunities to put his experience to the test in Canada.

Eric Ferguson Johnston (1935-40), whose marriage is reported elsewhere in this issue, is now manager of the Bucksburn branch of Aberdeen Savings Bank.

He has been manager of the St. Machar branch in Aberdeen since 1953.

Andrew John Leach* (1951-62) has joined the R.A.F. and is studying at the R.A.F. Technical College, Henlow, Bedfordshire on a four year technical engineering course with a view to a commissioned technical career. Leach is Scotland's junior hurdles champion and holder of the Scottish junior 120 and 22o yards hurdles titles.

Ian Leslie* (1927-39), PH.D., B.Sc., has been Reader in Bio-Chemistry at Queen's University, Belfast since 1959. Prior to taking up an appointment as Lecturer in the same department in 1953 he had worked as a research chemist with the Medical Research Council on Tank Warfare problems during the war and immediately after the war in the industrial health unit at London Hospital. From 1946 to 1948 he was lecturer in organic chemistry at St. Thomas's Hospital medical school, London, and from 1948 to x953 he was I.C.I. Research Fellow in the Bio-Chemistry department of Glasgow University where he graduated Ph.D. in 595o. In addition to his lecturing work at Belfast, Dr. Leslie directs research in a tissue culture unit concerned with the bio-chemistry of genetics and malignant diseases. He recently published a paper on " Bio-chemistry of heredity: a general hypothesis ". He has travelled a great deal in the last ten years to Russia, most European countries and to the United States and Canada attending medical conferences and lecturing.

Norman Lionel McGill* (1948-56) is now in Sheffield with the Alliance Assurance Co. Ltd. on the first stage of a training course for company management.

On leaving School he joined the Commercial Union Assurance Company in Aberdeen, transferring in 1959 to the Aberdeen office of the Alliance. He was elected to an associatcship of the Chartered Insurance Institute in 1961.

Frank Murdoch McPherson (1947-56), M.A., DIP. CLIN. PSYCH., whose marriage is reported elsewhere in this issue, is an assistant lecturer in Psychology in the Department of Psychological Medicine at Edinburgh University. He will become a lecturer in the same Department at the beginning of next session.

Alexander James Morrison (1903-05), M.A., D.D., who has been minister at Logic Easter, Ross-shire for the past fourteen years, has recently retired. He had a distinguished career both in Arts and Divinity at Aberdeen University and has ministered in Churches at Portree, St. Andrews and Thurso before coming to Woodside, Aberdeen, in 1928. He became an Honorary Doctor of Divinity of Aberdeen University in 1955.

1 42

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Charles Donald Mowatt* (1944-50), M.B., cll.B., who was in practice in Fochabers for a short time, has now gone to Canada, where he is in general practice with three other doctors in W'estlock, Alberta.

George Murray* (1946-53), who captained the School 1st XI at cricket in 5953, has for the last two seasons captained Aberdeenshire Cricket Club. In the 196z season he was honoured by being invited to captain the Scottish Counties XI against the Strathmore Counties X1 at Perth.

Thomas Patrick Edward Murray* (1907-18), O.B.E., T.D., A.D.C., has retired from the chairmanship of the Aberdeen, Kincardine and Banff Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association.

John McPherson Mutch* (1932-45) has been appointed secretary of the Royal Northern Agricultural Society. An enthusiastic member of the F.P. Club Executive for several years, he is in practice as a chartered accountant in Aberdeen.

Andrew Graeme Nicol (1939-5 z), M.B., cx.a., whose experiences in climbing the Pamir Range were described in the last issue of these notes, has been awarded the Memorial Medal of the Praesidium of the Soviet Central Council of the Union of Sport Societies and Organisations in recognition of the feat. This specially awarded Soviet medal has gone to all the British climbers who took part, and to the relatives of the two who fell to their deaths during the expedition.

Roy McFarlane Preshaw (1942-53), M.B., CH.B., F.R.C.S.(E), who is meantime in an appointment at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, has been awarded a Harkness Fellowship for study abroad, and leaves in September for Los Angeles. He is likely to be there until the summer of 1965.

William Jack Watson Rae* (5929-41), M.B., CH.B., D.P.H., has been appointed Junior Deputy Medical Officer of Health for Aberdeen, which is the only city to have two Deputies to the M.O.H. Dr. Rae is following in the footsteps of his late father, Dr. Harry James Rae (1898-1904) who was Aberdeen's Medical Officer of Health for over twenty years.

Martin Clark Riddell (1955-58), whose marriage is reported elsewhere in this issue, is now resident at High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. After leaving School he joined Wiggins, Teape & Co. Ltd. at Stoneywood Paper Works, Aberdeen.

While there he was sent on an " Outward Bound " course at the Moray Sea School which he passed with merit. He was later transferred to another of the group factories near High Wycombe. He is a part-time student at the Medway College of Technology, Chatham, where he is studying for his higher national certificate in paper technology.

Eric Rogers* (1940-43) is meantime with Messrs. Binnie & Partners, consulting engineers, in West Pakistan. He is concerned with the Mangla Dam project, which is a combined hydro-electric and irrigation scheme, and is the largest single civil engineering contract ever let. He would welcome news of any other former pupils in the area.

Robert Arthur Smart* (1919-31), C.B.E., who has been deputy director of Army Health at H.Q., B.A.O.R. since October 1962, has been appointed Consultant in army health. He holds the rank of Colonel.

Ferguson George Donaldson Smith (1922-33), D.F.C., has been promoted to the rank of Detective-Superintendent with Scotland Yard Special Branch. He has been with the Metropolitan Police for twenty-eight years and for much of that time has been with the Special Branch. He served during the 1939-45 war with the R.A.F., attaining the rank of Flight-Lieutenant. He was awarded the D.F.C., and subsequently a Bar to the decoration.

Ian Albert Sutherland* (1950-55) is a quality controller with the North British Rubber Co. Ltd. in Edinburgh. He is working in the plastics division of the firm, and was recently awarded first prize and medal of the City and Guilds of London Institute in their examination in rubber technology.

Marriages

743

Ian Bryson Taylor* (1933-40), B.SC., who was recently on leave in this country, is now chief engineer with Costain (West Africa) Ltd., and is resident at Kaduna, Northern Nigeria.

Sir (Arthur) Landsborough Thomson* (1899-1908), c.u., D.sc., LL.D., has

been awarded the quinquennial Buchanan Medal of the Royal Society for his " long and distinguished services to the support and administration of medical and biological research ".

Ralph Aidan G. Thomson* (1916-25) is now catering manager at Baden-Powell House, London. As its name suggests, this house is a permanent memorial to the founder of the Scout movement, and is the realisation of his hope that there would be a place in London where visiting Scouts could stay. The value of this project can be gauged from the fact that there were 20,000 residents and 130,000 members fed there during 1962.

George Tough* (1940-42), who was until recently chief chemist of Midland Counties Dairies Ltd. based at Birmingham, has now decided to take up teaching and is attending a course at Aberdeen College of Education.

John Johnston Wilson* (1949-52) has recently been admitted a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. He is meantime employed with Messrs.

John Danksen & Purdie, Aberdeen.

Marriages Bell (s945-57).—At West Church of St. Andrew, Aberdeen, on lo November 1962, HAROLD FORDYCE BELL,* only son of Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Bell, 150 Queen's

Road, Aberdeen, to Anna, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. G. McDonald, Chapel of Barras, Stonehaven.

Birnie (i948-56).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 1 December 1962, DONALD JAMES FORBES BIRN1E,* M.H., CH.B., only son of Dr. and Mrs. James A. Bimie, 32 Albyn Place, Aberdeen, to Alison May, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Tait, 78 Cromwell Road, Aberdeen.

Borland (1946-51).—At TaM Parish Church, on 23 March 1963, BLAIR FARQUARSON BORLAND, only son of the late Mr. Hugh Borland and of Mrs. Borland, 17 Northbum Avenue, Aberdeen, to Edith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Skinner, 2 New Street, Inver, Fearn, Ross-shire.

Buxton (1948-58).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 8 December 1962, NEIL KEITH BUXTON,* M.A., younger son of the late Mr. W. F. A. Buxton and of Mrs. J. A. Buxton, 18 Morningside Avenue, Aberdeen, to Garry, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs W. F. Millar, 137 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen.

Chalmers (1943-49).—At Beechgrove Church, Aberdeen, on 14 January 1963, PATRICK EDWARD BRUCE CHALMERS, second son of Mr. and Mrs. L. E. F. Chalmers, Lethenty House, Inverurie, to Ail= Catherine Reid, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William McGibbon, 5 King's Cross Road, Aberdeen.

Chalmers (1945-47).—At St. John's Church, Edinburgh, on 27 April 1963, ROBERT LAWRENCE CAMPBELL CHALMERS, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. L. E. F. Chalmers, Lethenty House, Inverurie, to Jean, elder daughter of the late Mr. Rowland F. B. Crook and of Mrs. Crook, 4o King's Road, Wimbledon, London, S.W.19.

Christie (I948-54).—At St. Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen, on 3 November 1962, MALCOLM ANDREW BAIN CHRISTIE, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. William Christie, to Christian Davidson, younger daughter of the late Mr. Donald Fraser and of Mrs. Fraser, 65 Elmfield Avenue, Aberdeen.

Durnin (1955-56).—At St. Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen, on 26 December 1962, KENNETH JAMES MCDONALD DLRNIN, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Durnin, 57 Irvine Place, Aberdeen, to Margaret Ann, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. Argo, 41 Abergeldic Terrace, Aberdeen.

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Harris (1953-56).—At Greyfriars Church, Aberdeen, on 3o March 1963, JAMES

EDWARD HARRIS, son of Mr. and Mrs. James M. Harris, 69 Tollohill Drive, Aber-

deen, to Monica, daughter of the late Mr. James Wright and of Mrs. Wright, 31 Springbank Terrace, Aberdeen.

Johnston (1935-4o).—At Christ Church Methodist, Worcester Park, Surrey, on it December 1962, ERIC FERGUSON JOHNSTON, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Johnston, 38 Wellbrae Terrace, Aberdeen, to Joan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Vickery, 8 Bridgewood Road, Worcester Park, Surrey.

6 , H ARRY KENNETH Kinghorn (1943-56).—At Aberdeen, on 12 January 19_3 SINCLAIR KINGHORN, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Kinghom, 224 Springfield Road, Aberdeen, to Judith Anne, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Spence, 4z Devonshire Road, Aberdeen.

Leiper (1944-55).—At Craigiebuckler Parish Church, Aberdeen, on z April 1963, WILLIAM WEST LEIPER,* elder son of Mr. and Mrs. William Leiper, tat King's Gate, Aberdeen, to Kathleen, only daughter of the late Mr. Alexander Y. Powrie, and of Mrs. M. Powrie, 393 Great Western Road, Aberdeen.

Littlejohn (t94o-S3).-At St. John's Church, Waenfawr, on 16 February 1963, ALISTAIR GEORGE. Lirrnijoin4,* E.sc., second son of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Littlejohn, 15 Northburn Avenue, Aberdeen, to Maerwen, only daughter of Captain and Mrs. H. Lloyd Jones, Plas Bodhyfryd, Waenfawr, Caernarvonshire.

Mackie (194t-54).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 31 October 1962, ROBERT NoRRIE MACKIE,* son of the late Mr. R. C. Mackie and of Mrs. Mackic, 114 Anderson Drive, Aberdeen, to Beatrice Warrander, daughter of Mr. J. W. Findlater and of the late Mrs. Findlater, 3o Louisville Avenue, Aberdeen.

McPherson (1 947-56).—At Edinburgh, on 14 September 1962, FRANK MURDOCH MCPHERSON, M.A., DIP. CLIN. PSYCH., only son of Mr. and Mrs. F. McPherson, to Hawthorn Crescent, Aberdeen, to Karin-Maria, D.PIIIL., elder daughter of the late Professor and Frau Konrad Langenheim, Kid, SchleswigHolstein, West Germany.

MacRae (x934-47).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 6 April 1963, l-lAmisit SIMPSON MAcRAE, Flodigarry Hotel, Skye, to Jean Gordon McKenzie, elder daughter of Dr. and Mrs. James Hutcheon, 9 Queen's Road, Aberdeen.

Milne (1938-5o).—At St. Laurence Church, Forces, on 22 December 1962, JOHN ANDREW MILNE,* son of the late Mr. John M. Milne and of Mrs. Milne, 76 Hilton Road, Aberdeen, to Margaret Ann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Smith, Relugas Gardens, Dunphail.

Mitchell (1938-47).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 26 October 1962, PETER EDWARD GORDON MITCHELL,* M.B., CH.B., eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Mitchell, Balrownie, Newtonhill, Stonehaven, to Bessie Thomson, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Fulton, 89 Bon-Accord Street, Aberdeen.

Murray (1935-40 : 1942-47).—At Walled Lake, Michigan, U.S.A., on 26 January 1963, Dr. Ian H. L. Murray, son of the late Mr. Alexander R. Murray, M.I.C.F.., and of Mrs. Gordon Thomson, 108 Grange Loan, Edinburgh, to Carol Jane, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Sanderson, of Walled Lake, Michigan.

Park (1952-55).—At Powis Church, Aberdeen, on 26 January 1963, GEORGE PARK, second son of the late Mr. John Park and of Mrs. Park, 83 Byron Crescent, Aberdeen, to Olga Evelyn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Wood, 9 Lamond Place, Aberdeen.

Park (1 943-54).— At St. Francis Church, Karen, Nairobi, on 15 December 1962, KENNETH HARVEY PARK, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Park, 148 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen, to Susan Daphne, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Boreham, Kikwetu Sisal Estate, Lindi, Tanganyika.

Rennie (195 x-54).—At Holburn Central Church, Aberdeen, on 3o March 1963, GRAEME WILLIAM JOHN RENNIE,* elder son of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Rennie, 66 Bedford Place, Aberdeen, to Audrey, only daughter of the late Mr. James H. Thomson and of Mrs. C. J. Thomson, 314 Holburn Street, Aberdeen.

Obituary

145 Riddell (1955-58). At St. Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen, on 4 August 1962, MARTIN CLARK RIDDELL, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex. J. Riddell, 1 Inchbrae Terrace, Aberdeen, to Sally, daughter of Mrs. Ellen Williamson, 13 St. Machar Drive, Aberdeen.

Robertson (1942-51).—At Holy Trinity Church, Brompton, London, on 3o March 1963, DAVID HOPE ROBERTSON, younger son of the late Rev. R. R. Robertson and of Mrs. Robertson, 106 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen, to Una Adelaide, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Colin Spearing, 8 Girton House, Manor Fields, Putney, London.

Scott (i944-53).—At Wallasey, on 29 May 1962, ALASDAIR SOMERLED MAcDOUGALL SCOTT,* elder son of the late Mr. William Scott and of Mrs. J. L. Scott, to Glenys, only daughter of the late Mr. Ernest Winstanley and of Mrs. I. Winstanley.

Still (x951-57).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 9 Match 1963, ALEXANDER WILLIAM STILL, only son of Mr. and Mrs. A. I. Still, 27 Albyn Grove, Aberdeen, to Isobel Ronald, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Coull, 19 Stewart Crescent, Aberdeen.

Taylor (1944-49).—At King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, on 16 March 1963, ALEXANDER ABEL TAYLOR, elder son of the late Mr. Alexander Taylor and of Mrs. Taylor, 4 Watson Street, Aberdeen, to Isobel Dysart, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Hyland, 37 Westburn Road, Aberdeen.

Taylor (1949-55)At The Hill Church, Blairgowrie, on 16 February 1963, JAMES GARDEN TAYLOR,* younger son of the late Mr. Robert Taylor, Connage Farm, Buckie and of Mrs. Taylor, 41 Bonnymuir Place, Aberdeen, to Yvonne Anne, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ian R. Dalgetty, The Knock, Newton Terrace, Blairgowrie.

Urquhart (1948-55).—At Trinity Church, Aberdeen, on 3o March 1963, RONALD LAURENCE URQUHART, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Urquhart, 8 King's Cross Avenue, Aberdeen, to Ann, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Buchan, z8 Shore Street, Inverallochy, Fraserburgh.

Obituary William Ernest Adam (1902-09), J.P., died suddenly at Alassio, Italy, on zo January 1963, aged sixty-five. During World War I he served with the ist Highland Brigade R.F.A. (T.F.) in France and Flanders. After demobilisation he entered Holy Orders and became Curate of Duddon, Cheshire. In 193o he was appointed Rector of St. Magnus Episcopal Church, Lerwick. After ministeries there and at Buckie and Dufftown he became Rector of St. Kentigern's, Ballater, in 1945. He took a keen interest in local affairs and from 1947 to 1952 was Provost of Ballater.

He was created a Canon of St. Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen in 1948, although still continuing as Rector at Ballater. In 1952 he returned to Aberdeen as Registrar and Diocesan Secretary and Treasurer for the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney.

In 1956 he became Chaplain of St. John's in Alassio, Italy and had intended to retire to England in April 1963.

Arthur Jeffrey Hood Aitken (1927-38), M.B., CFI.B., died suddenly at Orsett, Essex, on 9 February 1963, aged forty-two. On leaving School he studied medicine at Aberdeen University and graduated in 1944. He was then commissioned in the R.A.M.C. and served with the King's Regiment in India, mostly on the North-West Frontier. After demobilisation in 1947 he entered general practice at Grays, Essex. He was a son of the late G. Jeffrey Aitken, formerly Master of Method at Aberdeen Training College, who was recalled from retirement during the War to teach in the School.

[His brothers are both former pupils—Hugh George Jeffrey Aitken (1928-40), PH.D., who is on the staff of Harvard Entrepreneurial Research, U.S.A., and

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Robin Christopher Aitken (1931-43), s.sc. (Eng.) who holds a regular commission in the Royal Engineers.]

Douglas Maitland Bisset* (1901-08) died at Perth, Western Australia, on 27 January x963, aged sixty-nine. He was a life member of the F.P. Club. He was apprenticed to a firm of wholesale grocers in Aberdeen and thereafter worked in London. During World War I he served with the 4th Gordons and later with the Royal Flying Corps, being wounded in France in 1918. After the war he was for a time a rubber planter at Selangor, and then a commercial traveller in north-east Scotland. In 1926 he went to Singapore, and after a few months moved to Western Australia where he had been resident ever since. He spent most of his time in the back country on pastoral properties. During World War II he served as a sergeant instructor with the Australian military forces and was at one time in the same unit as two other F.P.s. He had been in ill-health for some years.

[His brother Victor Ogilvie Bisset (1903-52) also attended the School.]

John Gatherer Brown* (x905-08), M.B., CH.B., died in hospital in Yorkshire on ,o December x962. He was Modern Dux of the School in 1908, and graduated in medicine at Aberdeen University in 1914. Both at School and University he was keenly interested in athletics, took a prominent part in the Christian Union and also in missionary work, his parents having been missionaries in the Congo. During World War I he served with the R.A.M.C. in France and Belgium and was very severely wounded in 1917 while attending a wounded soldier, a large part of the muscles of his back and left thigh being blown off. After demobilisation he went into general practice at Lightcliffe in West Yorkshire, where he spent the whole of his professional life.

William Baxter Brodie Brown (1915-18), M.B., cn.B., died at Aboyne on 6 April x963, aged sixty-two. He graduated in medicine at Aberdeen University in 1925. He joined his father in medical practice at Aboyne, and since 195o had been in partnership with Gordon Forbes Lindsay* (1931-39), M.B., CH.B. He was a former chairman of Aberdeen Medico-Cliirurgical Society, and was for a time medical superintendent of Aboyne Hospital. He was actively interested in all aspects of life in Aboyne, where he was a founder member of the local Citizens' Association and a long serving member of the Aboyne Highland Gathering Committee.

Alexander Douglas Gilbert Burnett* (1893-96) died in London on 16 November 1963, aged eighty-three. In 1904 he went to Ceylon following a course at Glasgow Technical College, but was invalided home to London in 1915. He served with the French Army from 1916-18 and was awarded the Croix-de-Guerre in 1917.

He was later commissioned in the British Army, serving in France, Germany and Turkey. In 1921 he returned to Ceylon and was for a few years manager of tea and rubber estates there for the Anglo-Ceylon & General Estates Co. Ltd. of London.

From 1927 until his retiral in 1947 he represented his firm in London, residing at Weybridge, Surrey.

[Two of his brothers also attended School—Henry Martyn Burnett (1893-98) who died in 1915, and E. Erskine Burnett (1893-97) who was, when last heard of, farming in British Columbia.]

Michael Geoffrey Carson (1940-51) died as the result of a car accident on 24 March 1963, aged twenty-eight. After leaving School he joined the Southern Fur Company in Dublin where he worked with his uncle in order to learn the fur trade. Thereafter he worked for a time in London before joining his father's firm in Aberdeen. About four years ago he set up his own furrier's business at Newton Mearns, Renfrewshise. A keen sportsman, he represented the F.P. Club at cricket and hockey.

David Grant Crichton (195o-54) died as the result of a flying accident in Hong Kong on z8 December 1962, aged twenty-six. He was a Warrant Officer in the School Combined Cadet Force and was awarded a flying scholarship at Scone before leaving School. He went to the R.A.F. College, Cranwell in 1954 and was com-

Obituary

147

missioned in 1957. His crash occurred during a low-level sortie and came only ten days after he had had a miraculous escape when crash landing a Hunter Jet Fighter at Hong Kong. lie was due to return to this country in the following month to take up an appointment as a flying instructor at the R.A.F. Central Flying School.

Harry Fraser Duncan* (I 9T 1-17) died at Aberdeen on zo February 1963, aged fifty-eight. He was the younger son of the late Baillie A. R. Duncan and was predeceased by his brother, also an F.P., Alexander Robertson Duncan (1912-19) who died at Aberdeen in 1958.

Alexander Farquhar Florence* (1944-53), M.A., died suddenly at Fort Rosebery, Northern Rhodesia, on 3o March 1963, aged twenty-seven. IIe was joint dux of the School in 1953 and proceeded to Aberdeen University, where he had a distinguished career in Arts, graduating in 1957 with second class honours in Classics.

He then joined the Colonial Service, studied for a year at Cambridge, and went out to Northern Rhodesia as a district officer. He is survived by his wife and a daughter born only six weeks before his death.

Douglas Morrison Milne Fraser* (1898-1910), M.A., m.n., CH.B., died at Trowbridge on 17 March 1963, aged seventy. He graduated in Arts at Aberdeen in 1913 and in Medicine in 1916. He was then commissioned in the R.A.M.C. and served in Salonika, Egypt and Palestine, being twice mentioned in dispatches. After demobilisation he served as senior assistant in the Pathology Department at Aberdeen University until 1922. From 1923 until his retinal in 1957 he was in medical practice in Eastry, Kent.

Alexander Ernest Philip Gardner (1887-90), at., died at Aberdeen on 5 November 1962, aged eighty-eight. After leaving School he studied at Edinburgh where he graduated in law in 1897. In the same year he became a partner in his father's firm of Scott & Gardner, Solicitors, Stonehaven, with which firm he was associated for sixty-five years, being still at work until a few days before his death.

Both his brothers were at the School—James Scott Gardner (1889-92) who died in 1922, and Walter G. D. Gardner (1892-93) who died earlier in 1962.

Alfred Petrie Hall (1897-19o1), M.B., cti.n., died at Aberfeldy on 31 March, 1963, aged seventy-eight. He graduated at Aberdeen in 1906. From 1914 to 1935 he was in general practice at Accrington, Lancashire, except for a break during World War I when he served with the R.A.M.C. in France and Flanders. In 1935 he moved to a country practice at Aberfeldy where he was also in general practice.

George Pittendreigh Hector* (1889-97), M.A., u.sc., died in Aberdeen on 12 November 1962. Ile studied at Aberdeen University graduating in Arts in 1901 and Science in 1906. After working at Kew he entered the Indian Agricultural Service in '908 and in the following year became Economic Botanist to the Government of Bengal and later Director of Agriculture. He served during World War I with the Bengal Mounted Rifles. In 1922 he was awarded his Doctorate of Science at Aberdeen. He retired to Aberdeen in 1934, when his pastime was the classification of mosses, a task still uncompleted at the time of his death.

He was the eldest son of the late Rev. Principal John Hector (1837-62), M.A., D.D. of Duff College, Calcutta, and was the last survivor of three F.P. brothers, the others being James Masson Hector (1889-1900), n.sc., who died in 1955 and Kenneth Stuart Hector (1893-1901), who died in 1933.

[His son Gordon Matthews Hector (1924-25), 0.B.11., is in the Colonial Service in Basutoland.]

Douglas James Topp Jamieson* (1893-98) died at Aberdeen on 26 January 1963, aged seventy-seven. He trained with the old Great North of Scotland Railway Company at Aberdeen for two years and then entered the London office of the Bombay, Baroda and Central Indian Railway. In 1905 he went to India where he served with the Company until his rctiral to Aberdeen in 1938. Jamieson received part of his schooling at Fettes College, Edinburgh and regularly played cricket for the Fettcsian-Lorettonian Club on their annual tours of north-east

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magatine

England. He was a regular member of the Aberdeenshire cricket team in the early years of the century and is believed to have been the last surviving member of the Aberdeenshire team which won the Scottish Counties Cricket Championship in 1903, the year after its inauguration.

John Falconer McIntosh* (1902-14, m.c., died after a long illness, near Aberdeen on 16 April 196;, aged sixty-nine. After leaving School he studied agriculture at Aberdeen, gaining his diploma in 1914. He served throughout World War I with the 4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders in this country and in France and was awarded the M.C. in 1918. In 1920 he took up a post with the Anglo-Siam Corporation Ltd. at Lakon, Lampang, in North Siam. After a few years engaged in cocoa, coffee and tea planting in Portuguese East Africa he moved to southern India as a coffee planter in 1930, remaining there until about three years ago when he became ill while on leave in the U.K. [He was one of four F.P. brothers—Alan Cardno McIntosh* (1914-18) who is retired from India and living in Aberdeen; James Urquhart McIntosh* (1901-04: 1905-06) who lives at Peterculter; and William Yule McIntosh (1902-07) who died in 1934.]

Alexander George Robertson Mackenzie (1894), A.R.S.A., F.R.I.B.A., died at Inverurie on zo March 1963, aged eighty-four. He studied architecture in Aberdeen, London and Paris, becoming an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1901, and a Fellow in 1913. At the beginning of the century he was engaged in the design of new buildings at Marischal College and he was later responsible for the architecture for Aberdeen Art Gallery. He was in the London office of his father's firm for several years, and among the London buildings designed by him were Australia House and the Waldorf Hotel. On his father's death he returned to Aberdeen where he was a member of the firm of A. Marshall McKenzie & Son. The firm designed the Northern Hotel, Aberdeen, the University swimming pool and a number of' modern church buildings. Mackenzie carried out restoration work at a number of Aberdeenshire castles and at Provost Ross's House in Aberdeen.

During World War I he served with the London Scottish in France, was severely wounded in October 1914, and was invalided out the following year.

Hugh Barrack McLean (1889-94) died at Ontario, Canada, on i z March 1963, aged seventy-six. He was the elder son of the late Rev. Alexander McLean of Strachan. After leaving School he served for a number of years with the Caledonian Insurance Company in Aberdeen, after which he emigrated to Canada to take up farming.

He was a brother of George Barrack McLean (1892-97).

Harry Maitland* (19;1-33) died at Midhurst, Surrey on 5 November 1962, aged forty-five, after a short illness. He was the elder son of the late Harry Reid Maitland (1883-85). In 1936 he joined the staff of the Mercantile Bank of India in London and subsequently served in various branches of the Bank in the Far East.

During World War II he was a prisoner of the Japanese in Singapore. After the war he continued in the service of the Bank at Mauritius, Colombo and Bombay, being promoted accountant at Karachi in 1952. He became manager of the Bank's Bombay office in 1961.

His brother was Robert Reid Maitland (1932-35), 11.B., ma., who was killed in action in Normandy shortly after D-day in 1944.

William Matthews (1899-1900) died at Aberdeen on i5 November 1962, aged seventy-seven. The son of a merchant and farmer at Kirton, Tough, he studied at the Slade School of Art, London, and obtained a painting diploma in 1913. He served in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I and thereafter was appointed Art Master at the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Art, London, where he ultimately became Head of a Department. Before retiring to his native Aberdeen in 1961 he exhibited regularly in London and in provincial centres. His works include the illustration of various books and magazines.

Obituary

I 49

James Alexander Morrison (1896-1902), M.A., died at Aberdeen on zo April 1963. He was in his late seventies. He graduated in Arts at Aberdeen in 1905 and in the following year was appointed assistant master at Trinity Academy, Leith.

In 1907 he became a teacher of Classics and English at Fortrose Academy. He was appointed headmaster of Cultercullen Public School in 1915, moved to Lonmay in 1921 and from 1925 until his retiral in 1950 he was headmaster at Methlick.

Reginald Percy Morrison* (1895-1905) died at Sutton, Surrey on 21 May 1962, aged seventy-two. After leaving School he served his apprenticeship with Harvey Hall, chartered accountant in Aberdeen and became a member of the Society of Accountants in Aberdeen in 1920. He was commissioned in the R.A.M.C. with which he served during the early part of World War I, and he was later on the staff of H.Q. Scottish Command as a member of the Corps of Military Accountants.

He was mentioned in dispatches in 1918. After the war he moved to London where he took up an appointment with Messrs. Peat, Marwick & Mitchell, chartered accountants, of which firm he was general manager until his retiral in 1955.

Alexander Nicol (1905-11), M.A., died at Lymington, Hants in October 1962, aged sixty-nine. He graduated at Aberdeen University with first class honours in Classics in 1915. Thereafter he joined the 4th Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders and served in France. After the war he turned to journalism, and after a short training in Aberdeen he joined the Manchester Daily Dispatch in 1919. He was editor from 1931 until 1953, when he was appointed Advisory Editor to the Sunday Times in the North of England. He retired in 1956 to live in the New Forest.

David Cooper Rees (1897-1907), M.A., died at Brockenhurst, Hampshire, on 5 January 1963, aged seventy-three. He was Dux of the School in 1907 and graduated at Aberdeen in 1911. He studied at New College, Edinburgh until the outbreak of World War I. During the war he served with the R.A.M.C. until 1917, when he was commissioned in the Royal Field Artillery. After his ordination to Campsie U.F. Church, Lennoxtown, he ministered there and at Stewartown before being inducted to Bayswater Presbyterian Church, London, in 1927. Two years later he relinquished the Presbyterian Church and received Anglican Orders.

He was for fourteen years in various parishes in the London Diocese and thereafter in Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire. He retired from the full-time ministry in 1954, but continued to assist in vacancies and emergencies.

Norman Keith Robson* (1900-13), B.sc. (Agri.), died at Aberdeen on lo February 1963, aged sixty-six. During World War I he was commissioned with the Gordon Highlanders and served in France. He was a prisoner-of-war from March to December 1918. After demobilisation he studied agriculture at Aberdeen University, graduating in 1922. He then joined the firm of W. Smith & Sons, Seedsmen, Aberdeen, of which his father was the joint owner. At the time of his death Mr. Robson was joint managing director of the firm. He was also a director of the Aberdeen wholesale drug firm of William Davidson Ltd. He was the last of six F.P. brothers : James Fraser Robson (1893-95) who died in 1952 and Robert McKimmie Robson (1902-06) who died in 1953 were both associated with the family business; Francis Kelly Robson (5900-07) died while a medical student in 1909; Alexander Robson (1899-1900) died in 1936; and Thomas Ogilvie Robson (I 902.-I I), M.B., CFI.B., F.F.A.R.C.S. died in 1954.

[His son Norman Keith Bonnet Robson* (1933-40), B.Sc., PH.D., is a botanist at the British Museum.]

Alexander MacGregor Rose* (1883-94), D.s.o., M.B., CH.B., D.P.H., died at Cults on z December 1962, aged eighty-four. He studied at Aberdeen University graduating in medicine in 5899 and obtaining his diploma in public health in 1901.

After three years as a district surgeon at Antigua he joined the R.A.M.C. in 5905.

For a short time during World War I he was a prisoner in Germany but later returned to his unit. He was awarded the D.S.O. in 1957, and was twice mentioned in dispatches in 1916 and 1917. Following the war he continued in the army and became a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1929. At the time of his retiral in 1933

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he was commanding a military hospital in Northern Ireland. Since then he had resided at Cults.

His brother was George F. Rose (1881-9z).

George Bremner Scott* (1882-91), M.D., died at Reigate, Surrey on 6 March 1963, aged eighty-seven. He studied at Aberdeen University graduating M.B., C.M. in 1896 and M.D. in 1900. He carried out post-graduate work firstly in London at Gravesend Road Ear and Throat Hospital and Moorefield's Eye Hospital, and later at Vienna. He was a member of the Royal Medical Psychological Association. He served during World War I with the R.A.M.C., after which he joined the late Dr. George David Knight (1873-77), M.D., in medical practice in Brixton and Streatham, London. In 1924 he was called to the Bar of the Middle Temple. He was divisional police surgeon for south-west London for over twenty-five years, and was for a few years deputy coroner for the western district of London. During World War II he was a medical officer for a time on board the troopship Empress of Japan and later medical officer at an underground aircraft factory. He was a Freeman of the City of London being a Liveryman of the Barbers' Company. He retired a few years ago after over fifty years in active medical practice.

Arthur Skene (1928-33) died in hospital in Hertfordshire on 5 April 1963 aged forty-four. He served his apprenticeship as an engineer with Messrs. John M. Henderson & Co., Aberdeen, and thereafter spent the earlier years of the war on the technical staff of the Director of Electrical Engineering in the Admiralty. In 1945 he was appointed resident overseer to the British Tabulating Machine Co. at Letchworth and in the following year became assistant works manager there. In 1949 be was appointed works manager of the Company's new factory at Castlereagh, Belfast, becoming general manager in 1953.

His brother is Ronald Fraser Skene (191S-16).

Trevor Alexander Howard Smith (1907-09), M.B., cm.B., died at Bury St. Edmunds on 27 October 1962. His medical studies were interrupted by the first World War, when he served as a surgeon probationer in the R.N.R. After graduating at Aberdeen in 1919 he was in general practice in Sheffield until 1947 when he was appointed assistant medical officer for West Suffolk.

John Henry Stephen* (x886-95) died at Aberdeen on zx March 1962, aged eighty. After serving his apprenticeship as an engineer in Aberdeen he went to sea, and in 1913 was serving as a marine engineer with the Bank Line of London.

For about fifteen years prior to his retiral in 1949 he was superintendent engineer for the Standard American Oil Company at Aruba in the Dutch West Indies.

Eric Henderson Manthei Stott* (formerly Eric Henderson Manthei) (1921-24) died very suddenly at Nairn on 19 January 1963, aged fifty-seven. He was a life member of the Club. Born in Shanghai he received his early education in the East. On leaving School he joined Messrs. Galloway & Sykes Ltd., house furnishers, Aberdeen, with whom he continued until ill-health forced his premature retiral about four years ago. Since then he had been living at Nairn. During World War II he served with the Police War Reserve. When he came to Aberdeen as a young man he made his home with his uncle, Captain Stott, in accordance with whose wishes he assumed the surname " Stott " on the uncle's death in 1946. At School he was an enthusiastic cricketer, and played in the ist XI. In later life he was equally enthusiastically interested in tennis and golf.

William Walker (1887-89), J.p., F.E.I.S., died at Aboyne on 29 April 1963 aged ninety-four. A native of Stonehaven, he taught for a time at Turriff and was later headmaster of Glentanar School, Dinnet. He retired from there in 1933, since when he lived at Aboyne. He was a Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland.

Frederick Chisholm Waugh (1928-3o) died at Aberdeen on 14 December 1962, aged forty-seven. Most of his working life had been spent in the Gold Coast (now Ghana) where he joined the firm of G. & B. Ollivant Ltd. at Accra in 1936. He was latterly chairman of the board of directors of the company, and retired to

Obituary

I 5I

Aberdeen only two months before his death. During World War II he served with the Gold Coast Regiment, ultimately reaching Captain's rank, and he took part in the East African and Burma campaigns.

[His son Maurice Waugh is meantime a pupil at the School.]

Robert Erskine Wetherly* (1922-34), B.SC., M.A., CH.B., died suddenly at Sunderland on 16 January 1963, aged forty-seven. He graduated in Science at Aberdeen University in 1938 and served throughout the second World War with the R.A.M.C. as a laboratory technician. After the war he returned to Aberdeen University and graduated in medicine in 1951. After a spell as registrar in Pathology at Sunderland he became a demonstrator in Pathology at Durham University in 1956 and two years later a lecturer at the same University. In 1959 he returned to Sunderland as an assistant in Pathology and was engaged in cancer research. At the time of his death he was preparing for the degree of M.D. He was a keen sportsman and while at School was captain of cricket for Dun House and was awarded his ist XI colours. Later he represented the F.P. Club both at cricket and hockey, and was a member of the F.P. cricket team which won the Strathmore Union Championship in 1948.

Thomas James Wilson* (1896-19(23) died at Richmond Surrey in June 1962, aged eighty-eight. He was apprenticed as a chartered accountant with Messrs.

Whyte & Williamson, Aberdeen, joining the Society of Chartered Accounts in Aberdeen in 1908. He moved to London later that year to the firm of Fairbairn & Wingfield and a year later he set up in business on his own account. He assumed a partner in 1910 and practiced thereafter as T. J. Wilson Hunter & Co., chartered accountants, London. During World War I he was for a time senior accountant with the Wheat Commission.

He was an enthusiastic F.P. being one of the founder members of the London Centre of the Club and its first secretary. He served on the Centre Committee for many years.

His brothers were William Lyal Wilson (1896-1903) and Andrew Stuart Wilson (1896-97), M.A., CH.B., who died in 1950.

David Alfred Wood* (1946-59) died as the result of a motor accident on 3 February 1963, aged twenty-one. After leaving School he was for two years in his father's business before becoming a student at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture in Aberdeen. A keen sportsman he was captain of School tennis and winner of the Inter-Schools Tennis Championship. He represented both the School and later F.P.s at hockey, and had been a North hockey trialist.

Charles Duncan Rice* (1949-60) who was another passenger in the car in which David met his death writes: " David Wood's death has probably not quite registered on those of us who passed through School with him. It is always, I suppose, difficult to realise just what the death of someone fairly close to you means: it is very much more so when he is still at an age where he hasn't had very much chance to get beyond learning things. Young Wood had enough of a twisted kind of nonconformist charm, which was completely his own, to make himself close to a great number of people, to be a sort of highest common factor between a unique cross-section of friends ranging from architecture students to F.P. hockey players—possibly because he was that rare combination, an intellectual and a sportsman who hasn't descended into either a bespectacled recluse or a George Hotel hearty. And this is a combination which gives the ability for self criticism—and the sensibility and kindness to understand other people: which explains that cross-section of friends. When you add to this his hatred of the artificial, his having the guts to sneer at all the kind of pettymindedness that thrives on tennis clubs, tea-parties and cocktail small-talk, you have the reasons why he was original enough to be missed. There are too few David Woods for it to be a little thing to lose one. " Obituaries usually descend into eulogies. But this one's true."

I 12

Aberdeen Grammar School Alagatine New Members of the Club (z5 November 1962-25 May 1963) ORDINARY MEMBERS

Anderson, Graham C. (1950-62), 32 Caimaquheen Gardens, Aberdeen.

Duncan, Dr. E. H. W. (1918-26), Eastleigh, North Deeside Road, Culler.

Grant, Douglas Thompson (1926-32), 117 Union Grove, Aberdeen.

Murray, Fergus (1952-61), 47 Belgrave Road, London S.W.1.

Nelson, William James Adair (1914-24), The Red House, Jackson Street, inverurie, Aberdeenshire.

Newman, Malcolm A. (1957-60), 47 Bankhead Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen.

Park, Harris C. (1954-62), 9 Airthrey Avenue, Bridge of Allan.

Robinson, Michael C. (1958-62), 1 Craigiebuckler Place, Aberdeen.

Strachan, Dr. Ronald W. (1941-46), 6 Queen's Gardens, Aberdeen.

Thomson, Aidan (1946-52), Baden-Powell House, Queen's Gate, London, S.W.,.

Thomson, Ian (1953-56), 44 Mid-Stocket Road, Aberdeen.

Thomson, James (1947-50), 2S3 High Street, Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Thomson, James A. (1959-62), 3o Thistle Street, Aberdeen.

Welsh, Arnold Scott (1945-5T), 296 Broomhill Road, Aberdeen.

STAFF MEMBERS Anderson, Robert H. A., B.SC., 162 Ashgrove Road West, Aberdeen.

Hunter, James, DIP. MUS. ED., R.S.A.M., L.R.A.M., A.R.C.M., 17 Pitstruan Place, Aberdeen.

Morrison, Eric E., 32 Devonshire Road, Aberdeen.

Smith, Simon, B.Sc., 16 Hillview Terrace, Cults, Aberdeen.

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